Passion in the Palace
by IllyMjay
Summary: What happens when 2 different people leave their lives behind to get betrothed against their will, experience love & jealousy, find true friendship and face an evil force that could spread globally? Passion in the Palace! RobxRae with other pairings, re-polished chapters and full summary inside. R&R eternally appreciated :
1. I'm A What!

**Summary: **Robin and Raven are the bethrothed heirs to Silver Stone Island, where they dislike the queen, make new friends, _discover new feelings_, drive the workers insane with constant palace damages, form a group, discover new people (good, bad, and EVIL!), fight, lose and conquer (things you'll have to find out), reveal pasts and face an evil force that could spread globally (and possibly universally?). Oh, and they can't forget to send out those wedding invitations now can they? Many cool characters (T Titans copyrighted and original), crazy situations, shocking events :)

**This is a fanfic that I started a long time ago. I won't go into details, but inspiration has returned with a vengeance, causing me to update the old chapters to better fit the more deeply related plot.**

Please leave a review, guys! I love followers, and reviews are truly motivating and rewarding :)

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. Just my quirky characters, and this story. SO!

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**Chapter 1 : I'm A What!?  
Passion in the Palace**

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"Congratulations, Senior Class, High School of Jump City! You did it!"

In the exceeding large and overpopulated gymnasium of Jump High, graduation hats glittered the gym. Shouts and cheers poured from every direction, proud parents and families hooting from the coliseum chairs to their children below.

But in the center scowled an annoyed goth. Her hair was violet as well as her narrowed eyes. A purple diamond was housed on her pulsating forehead as a screaming graduate blasted her eardrums.

"We did it Raven! Aren't you so excited!?"

Raven stood and shot a death-sentencing glare. "Nope." She pushed her way to the outskirts of the mob. There she found a pink-haired girl with a smug glare on her face, holding her diploma. Raven tapped her shoulder.

"Hello Jinx, Congratulations. You've made it through four years of hell." Raven said flatly.

"Gee, thanks Raven, couldn't be more excited," Jinx half smiled.

A teen with a diploma at hand jumped in front of Jinx. "Jinx I just graduated!"

"Good for you bird dick now SCRAM!" The boy shivered and vanished into the mob of graduation gowns. "Geez, come on let's go before I hex this whole building to the ground."

"Yes ma'am," Raven stopped. "Oh wait, Madam wants to tell me something.. 'special and important'."

"Teh. Probably your ma's old shoes. Yesterday ma gave me some old cat-oil shoes and told me to wear them to graduation."

"Yeah, well at least you have a mom."

Jinx instantly nudged Raven in her arm. "Come on, Raven.. thought you were over that."

"Nevermind… Jinx I gotta go. Madam told me to meet them home and you know how they are."

"Okay, okay I'll let you go. Just give me that Azarath book later then." Jinx winked.

Raven nodded and headed for the exit alone, with her high school diploma at hand.

When Raven walked the eroded way home, she stopped in front of her neighbor's yard with overgrown grass and an ever-barking bull terrier. Its eye seemed to pop on its only red marking with each unnecessary bark. "Shut up, Target, or I'll blast the fleas and fur off ya," Raven hissed at the dog. Target shrank back to his dog house and barked from inside.

Raven had many memories in the neighborhood. It knew not the word "rich", but it wasn't complete poverty either. She met her first and only friend, Jinx, here. Both had discovered their powers in the creek behind Raven's home. That would explain the newly formed pond with the huge boulder next to it.

Raven's home was very small. It consisted of one sometimes-working bathroom, one small bedroom, a kitchen and the dinning/family/living room where Raven slept on the old, dark sofa. The bedroom was for Madam and mister, a 90 year old couple taking care of Raven. Since her mother died on her home planet Azarath, and her father was M.I.A. in some other realm, she lived an okay life here, making good grades and working hard for her old god parents. Looking at the weed-choked garden outside her ragedy front door, Raven sighed. This was as good as it's gonna get.

Raven pushed open the rigid door and stepped onto the worn, dark red carpet of her home. "I'm home," she called, and was instantly greeted by five skinny cats rubbing on her legs. "Get off, you guys." The cats scattered to the bedroom.

"Raven?" came an old female voice. "Congratulations, sweetie. Come in here and bring the lax on your way. Charlie has been feeling a little constipated."

Raven grabbed a bottle of laxative and headed for the bedroom. The old couple was bickering again.

"Nancy, I don't need no laxative!"

"Charlie, you gulped down the prune cake and prune juice. You haven't crapped since then! I know something's wrong."

"Nancy, the only thing wrong is that damned head of yours! I ain't takin no laxative! Raven, throw that away. Ain't nobody need laxatives."

"How about I just put it on the nightstand in case something else comes up." Raven placed the laxative beside the ancient, full-sized bed.

"Honey, we are so proud of you! You're all grown up." It's about time she realized that. Madam hugged 'her baby'. "This makes me feel so old."

"Nancy," Mister grunted. "You _are_ old." Madam punched his old ribs with her elbow.

"Raven, baby, there's something I have to tell you. Why don't you put your diploma down, this _will_ change your life hun."

"Okay.." Raven placed her diploma next to the laxative, rare apprehension slowing coming on. "What's up?"

"Your mother. She was the Queen of-"

"I know, the Queen of Depressing Poetry."

"Um, no hun. Your mother.. was the Queen of _Silver Stone Island_. Before she gave birth to you, she had her sister take her place as Queen. And, from what I've been told, you are the royal and _rightful_ Princess… of Silver Stone Island."

"_WHAT!_" Mister gasped, grabbing for his aspirin.

Raven sighed. "Thanks for the congrats, but I gotta get this book to Jinx. She's gonna kick my-"

"_Raven._ You are a _princess_. How else can I put it?"

It took Raven moments of watching Madam help Mister before her emotions went haywire. From shock and denial, to anger and disgust. She can't possibly be—

"Raven, dear?"

"You're.. j-joking, right?"

"Baby I'm too old for jokes that big."

Seven flower pots nearby blew up and a cat cried at its now scrunch up tail.

"_What!?_ Madam, don't kid me! Why would _I _be a _princess_! Of.. what's place? Silver Rocks? I am just a teen—"

"_Eight-_teen," Mister interjected.

"—with _NO_ regalness at all! I live in a _shack_ with two old people, and strays littering our…_ghetto_! The closest thing I had to leadership was my ant collection in elementary school, and we all know how _that_ went!"

Mister and Madam stifled a cringe at the memory.

"..I _cannot_, and _will not_, leave you, Mister, Jump City, or anything! I'm staying _right here!_"

A medicine box blew up and sent tablets and liquids everywhere, as the walls began to warp. "Damn it, Raven! My Pepto Bismol!"

Raven regained her control and slipped her hood over her head. She took a deep breath. "All I'm saying is that this '_Silver Stone'_ had better find another princess because I _refuse._"

"Raven," Madam started softly. "Your mother loved you very much. And, you were only a baby, but she said she hoped you would accept who you are, and that you'll make the best princess. You would truly devastate her if you didn't go."

"Its not like she has a damn choice!" Mister chuckled.

"And besides," madam continued. "They'll have everything you ever wanted. Everything you ever will."

What she wanted. _What _do_ I want?_

Raven let the words sink in and waited a long time before speaking. "Fine… but _only_ because it was my mother's last request."

"Thank you Raven," Madam hugged Raven once more. "You leave in one week."

Raven could only let silent tears glide down her pale cheeks and chin. Slipping out of Madam's hug, she ran out of the building, and using her powers, she slammed the back door behind her.

"I think she took it pretty damn well!" Charlie chuckled from inside.

The introvert glided silently to Bo Bo Boulder. When she and Jinx were tiny little kids, they named the boulder Jinx hexed 'Bo Bo.' Raven cried silently. Why was this happening to her? To _her!_ She just turned 18 years old. All she really wanted was the book of stories by Edgar Alan Poe. But _no_. Of all things, she had to be the _princess_ of _Silver Stone_. A pet raven or rat would have been a surprise, and a car would have blown her out her mind. But a _country_? How could she lead a whole island when her people skills were beyond terrible. Anyone she didn't know she took unkindly to. And besides, this meant she had to wear _dresses_, and white arm-length _gloves_, _make up_. And walk with her nose stuck up _so high…_ This was _not_ what she wanted! Though her life wasn't great now, she'd choose it over a country any day.

Raven's thoughts consumed her so much, she didn't notice the trees swaying, bending, and sparkling pink behind her until now. "Jinx?"

"It's about time you noticed me." Jinx back flipped next to Raven. "What's wrong? Haven't seen tears from those telekinetic eyes since... Never mind. What's wrong?"

Raven tried her best to speak. Thinking of painful things is always easier than voicing them. "…_Jinx_…"

Now Jinx was worried. Raven's voice wasn't that monotone, flat, expressionless voice anymore. She could tell Raven was torn up about whatever it was she had to say. "What?" She asked anxiously. "Please, tell me it wasn't your ma's cat-oil shoes."

"Stop Jinx, I'm serious." Raven choked. "I just want you to know that you're the greatest friend anyone could ever have, and... and I appreciate you putting up with me.. and for all you've done…"

"Woa, Rae," Jinx's pink eyes began to get a little shiny. "You're welcome and all, but… what are you _saying_?"

Raven looked up to the fading sky for comfort. A flat stone nearby darkened to her aurora and skipped across the pond's mirror-like surface. "Remember when I told you Madam had something very important to say?" Raven scorned Madam mentally for calling it 'special'.

"Yeah…"

"Well, in one week, I'll be the princess of this country… Silver Stone."

Jinx stared at Raven, normally not the joking type. "Oh. Um, okay... what?"

Raven's increasing sadness grew to frustration. "I'm a _princess_, JINX! I'm practically being… DRAFTED. To freaking Silver Stone Island!" The pond water grew black and splashed.

"_Oh_ my _god!_"

"I _know!_" Raven folded her legs to her chest and pressed her face to her knees.

"…What are you going to do?"

"I _have_ to go," Raven's voice was muffled and crowded with sniffles.

"W-what..?"

"I don't have a choice. It was my moth-"

"Of _course_ you have a choice, Raven! Y-you can't go! I mean, we grew up together! And w-what about Bo Bo Boulder, and you were gonna teach me all about Azarath! Our first job was- was to be fortune tellers, and—" Jinx was getting breathless and was quickly running out of hope. "—and… Raven… please, please don't go."

Raven was trying really hard to grab hold of her emotions seeing Jinx cry. "I'll miss you." Raven stood on the boulder and faced Jinx.

The sorceress stood as well and faced Raven with angry pink eyes. "I won't." She growled between clenched teeth. "I won't miss the only one who understood me and my powers. I won't miss the only person on earth that I considered my friend."

"I'm still your-"

"SHUT UP! So, Raven, it's over just like that, huh? Well go have fun ruling your little country of dirt, _your highness_," Jinx took a quick bow. "They'll all die anyway." Jinx ran away from Bo Bo, away from Raven, and away from the worst moment of her life.

"I think she took it pretty damn well!" Mister voiced from the back yard. Raven smashed her fist into the boulder before returning inside past the nosy old geyser.

"Raven, hun, please get packin'. I just received a call, the plane's coming tomorrow."

"Raven sighed and started packing her things. Nothing mattered anymore. Everything was against her will and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Raven packed her belongings and noticed she only had two pictures of her and Jinx: one when they were about six, both had delighted faces. Raven was staring at a floating toad with her aurora around it, and Jinx looking over her shoulder, awed at the magic. The other picture was when they were 15 in a fierce and intense but friendly combat. Jinx always won. Raven sighed. All her stuff was packed except her CD player and headphones and her book of Azar. She wished she had more pictures, but Jinx was the more photogenic one.

The cats came in and crowded around Raven. She numbly apologized to the one with the scrunched up tail, but that one now hissed. "Maybe I should go and make peace with stupid Target." Raven remembered her past experiences with the bull terrier. "…Maybe not."

That night, Raven slept on the couch uncomfortably. She wished that she could hear a car's alarm go off, police, or something. Anything to make her last night in Jump City memorable. But nothing happened. Just the same old Target barking his dense head at the cats, often chasing the fence for no reason. Eventually Raven fell into a dreamless sleep. Then Saturday morning came, putting the nocturnal beings to sleep, and waking the day walkers.

Raven awoke to the hissing of the cat with the scrunched up tail. "Hush up, October, deal with it!" Madam scowled from the kitchen. "Raven are you up?" Raven didn't say anything. She just got up and brushed her teeth. "Raven, I made you prune cake to take with you on the plane."

Mister popped his bald, wrinkled head out the bedroom doorway looking interested. "Prune cake?"

"Not for you, Charlie, I told you to take that exlax and you didn't take it!"

"Nancy, exlax fo' old people. I don't need no _exlax_!"

"I'm not gonna start with you today, love. Now get dressed so we can take Raven to the airport. The plane leaves at 10:15 this morning, so the both of you, hurry it up!"

"Madam," Raven came out the bathroom feeling refreshed. "For the past 15 years, I've been telling you I don't like _anything_ with prunes."

"Yeah, I know hunny, now put it in your bag in case you get hungry."

Raven sighed. No use trying.

"Listen, Raven." Mister whispered intently. "If you, uh, don't want that cake you just give it to me."

Raven stuck the cake out to Mister. "Take it, _please_."

Mister snatched the prune cake and pranced and laughed with it to the bedroom. Just as an old man who finally found treasure would laugh and prance.

Raven loaded all her belongings in the old station wagon, including her stuffed toy rat she had had since before she could remember. She took her place in the back seat. Her CD playing on her headphones, the Book of Azar, and Ratty on her lap. Madam and Mister got into the car.

"Ready Raven?"

"No."

"I'll take that as a yes." Madam pulled slowly out the driveway. Raven could see the pond and part of Bo Bo Boulder. This would be a lot easier with Jinx's support. Raven got a good look at her home before leaving the neighborhood to the airport.

_"Now boarding Chicago, Illinois. Next Flight: Silver Stone Island."_

"When I was your age," Charlie began. "We didn't have no airplanes. We had to go out _barefooted_ in the _woods_ and look for wood. We didn't have no fancy school drivers-"

"_Screw_ drivers, Mister." Raven corrected on the airport seats.

"Like ah said, school drivers." He continued. "We didn't have no school driver to build a fancy _car_. We had to use our _own hands_ to build a wagon. And we didn't have no rubber and metal wheels with gas pedals. We had _wooden_ wheels with ox that _pulled_ the wagon. Ox that we had to go and _catch_, _barefooted_. And _tame_ them. With our _own two hands_. And we couldn't just stop at a gas station. We had to feed and let the ox _drink_, and _rest_. We didn't have no _airplanes_."

Raven half smiled. Old people and their 'When I was Your Age' stories.

"And when I was your age-"

"Thanks, gramps! That was a great story!" Raven said too happily, and turned up the volume on her CD player.

Mister just stared, and turned to the little girl with the lollipop sitting on his other side. "You know, when I was your age we didn't have fast food restaurants. We had to catch or _own food_. With our _own two hands_. In the _wild_. With _no shoes_."

_"Silver Stone, now boarding. Silver Stone Island boarding now."_

"Oh, no," Raven sighed. "This is it."

"This is it Raven!" Madam drew to her feet. "Now remember to brush your teeth, don't go foolin' with some unknown prince, listen to your mentors, be nice to the paparazzi, and do-"

"Madam, I got this."

"Oh, I'm sorry hunny, I know." Madam's eyes began to tear over. "It's just that my baby's all grown up, and I knew you were special the moment you arrived on our doorstep. I'll miss you hunny."

"I'll miss you too." Raven said, giving her a rare hug and giving Mister one as well.

"You know ah ain't good with goodbah's," Mister kissed Raven's forehead. "So you just try and have yourself a good time."

"Will do, gramps." Raven managed a half smile to the old, constipated man.

_"Last call for Silver Stone Island, Silver Stone, last call."_

The three looked at the few passengers left boarding the plane.

"Well, go on my telekinetic bird."

The princess gave one last look to her godparents and boarded the plane.

_  
Raven took her seat next to the window and looked outside to the airport members.

A fat man took his place next to her and stared at her for about twenty seconds before asking, "Hey you, why do you wear a cloak?"

Raven glared at him and put her hood over her head and turned up the volume on her CD player. This was going to be a looong flight.

"Thank you for choosing Delta! The plane will now leave." The host said. But then-

Just before the plane had _barely_ started to move, it was swarmed in a pink flicker and stopped abruptly. "HOLD IT, LADY!" demanded a familiar voice. Raven looked up to see Jinx yelling at the frightened host. "I'm not through with someone on this plane. So don't even move an inch till I'm done!"

"but Miss, we have-"

"Put a bloody sock in it!" Jinx spotted a blushing Raven next to the window. "Hey, Fat boy, Up a sec!" The man next to Raven lowered his eyebrows and got up for Jinx to sit. "Okay, I take back what I said. I'll miss you like a dog would miss his favorite bone. And I made you this." Jinx handed Raven a book of construction paper, ribbons, glitter and pictures. "It's a scrapbook I made last night. Stayed up till 4 am putting it together. It's basically are whole life."

"_Jinx_," Raven stared at the scrapbook with a loss of words.

"Hey, cut the dramatics, it's not your thing."

"Oh here," Raven handed Jinx her Book of Azar. "It will teach you everything about Azarath. It even has stuff on fortune telling."

Jinx opened her mouth to exclaim her happiness, but no words came out. Alternately, she gave Raven a grateful hug.

"If you ever want to find me," Raven said. "Just look three hundred miles off the Pacific Coast." She poked Jinx in the arm.

"Gotchya." Jinx got up from the seat. Raven gave the pink sorceress one last hug before she left the plane—relief to the other passengers and airline crew.

"This is Delta Airlines, please enjoy the ride." As the attendant went over safety instructions, Raven looked at the accelerating world through her window. Like a feather, the plane softly took off and Jump City began to get smaller and smaller, the last thing she saw clearly was her school. 'Good bye, Jump City, see ya home. I have to leave you, and all that I love to be the _princess _of _Silver Stone_.'

Little did Raven know someone was very anxious to meet her...

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**Comments, questions, thoughts and constructive criticism are very much welcomed and appreciated :)**  
See you at the next chapter!  
~IllyMjay


	2. You've Got to be Kidding

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, just this story, and my wee characters.

This Chapter is dedicated to **czee****_, _**for dedicating a chapter of her fic to me :) Plus she's awesome, so poo.  
Enter Robin, stage left...

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**Chapter 2 : You've Got to be Kidding  
Passion in the Palace**

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An 18 year old wonder boy slouched on a white sofa in one of the smaller royal entertainment rooms. Across from him stood an oversized lcd TV, daring him to choose from the many game systems that were connected wirelessly below. Along the walls were video games displayed from cashmere carpet to onyx-colored ceiling. But to the teen it was all useless without a playmate.

He had been staring at the big screen for an eternity now, his masked eyes concentrated on the dormant screen. Or was he concentrating on his recent past? Every year of his life, he had received a phone call by some mysterious man. The man would always say in his deep, ominous voice, "The time is nearing, Robin." And as Robin neared his 18th year, he called more and more, and to his surprise Robin found himself feeling uneasy, and kind of... scared. But it wasn't just this eager mysterious caller that was bugging him, but also how he became a prince and the downfall to it. If only that Waldo de Caprio guy hadn't snooped around in his mother's diary, nobody would have known he was a prince. And if nobody knew Robin was a prince, he wouldn't have to be betrothed. But what blew Robin clear out his half-metal shoes was that _Batman_, his mentor, master, and practical _father_, The Vengeance and The Night, actually thought it was _cute _that Robin was a betrothed prince. Of all people, _Batman _thought it was cute! So here he was, an 18 year old boy sitting in his palace three hundred miles off the Pacific Coast, planned to marry someone he didn't even know the slightest trace of.

_[-Flashback-]_

_"...and that is why, Robin, you are the prince of Silver Stone Island."_

_"Cool!"_

_"And you are betrothed."_

_"WHAT?!"_

_"You leave in one week."_

_"WHAT?! Do you even know who the girl is?"_

_"You leave in one week."_

_"I KNOW! But who's the girl?"_

_"Pack your things."_

_"AGH!"_

_[-End Flashback-]_

This was too unfair. Why couldn't he just tell him? Either way, he was going to find out who this woman is, but for now, he'd rather take out his confusion and stress by watching tv. "What is there to watch around here?" Robin turned on the big screen with the remote at hand.

_"Welcome to that Gorilla Ate My Monkey!"_

Click.

_"Thisa pizza is stupendous! A little bitah parmesan and pepperoni! Can'ta forgetta the mozzarella cheese! Oh no! The ravioli isa burn—"_

Click_._

_"Johnny…? Johnny?"_

_"RAAAWRRR!"_

_"AHHHHH—"_

Click_._

_"So tell us, why should you be Miss Silver Stone?"_

_"Because I— I—"_

_"Woa Nelly! Ladies and gentlemen, #17 has just turned into a basset hound!"  
(barking, followed by screams)_

Click.

_"B-A-T. Bat! Now you try."_

_(silence)_

_"Good job!"_

Click.

_"Silver Stone's new princess has arrived. Raven from Jump City will take her place as—"_

Click.

_"Sabes que me encanta. Ahora extiende el pollo."_

"Wait- What?" Robin flipped back to Silver Stone News.

_"And now, gardeners beware! Bees from South America will strip your fruits from you garden. When we return."_

"Damn!"

- x - x - x -

Raven had finally stepped into the terminal. People rushed from the plane and all around her. Finding her luggage in baggage claim was near suicidal, but with some luck, she found it safe and ruffled. Raven hoped that the busy, noncaring torrent of people would somehow slow down, but the harder she hoped, the denser the population got. It was becoming impossible to navigate.

"_Ouch!_ Could ya- ow."

Raven had to find a subway. It was the only way to get from one place to another in at least two pieces. She could already feel her telekinesis itching in agitation. If only she could get to the North Gate, she could be out of this mob. It was just her luck. Between the heads and hats of people she could see a sub heading for the north side. If she could just shove her small body through everything she could almost make it—

**_WHAM!_**

"Hey watch where you're goin!" A business man with a cell phone snarled at Raven's fallen form before disappearing in a swarm of bodies and luggage.

Raven tried to concentrate on what had just hit her. People passing by didn't even seem to notice her as they stepped over her and sometimes kicked her, by accident she wasn't sure. Her focus became a blur and she wondered how hard she'd been hit. She was only conscious enough to answer to someone asking if she was Raven. She mumbled "Yes".

Raven's violet eyes slowly opened. Her face and body was in contact with black leather. She sat up quickly to stand but her headache pounded more when she hit her head. She was in a car. A moving car. She was being kidnapped! Raven gripped her panicking emotion and stopped the car immediately. She flew into another window, but it wasn't the dashboard. She noticed she was in a limo, all the doors were locked. Frantically looking outside, she saw people, palm trees, Hollywood houses, and a Miami-like landscape. She looked back to the passenger seat. Someone was saying something. Just as she was about to pound on the black window, it scrolled down to reveal a sophisticated, early-30's, choreographer-looking man.

"Do you _mind_?" he asked, bolting her down with his brown eyes. "I'm _trying _to drive here. And don't think that just because you're Rochelle's niece you can do whatever you feel like, like stopping my limo in the middle of traffic!"

Raven looked outside again. There was just a single SUV accompanying them at the stop light. She looked back at the man with a risen eyebrow. "_Who are _you?"

"What kind of question is that? Jeez, what are they teaching you teens in America? I'm Leonard Jazee. Executive of Queen Rochelle. Everyone should know that." Lee kept driving but an expression was plastered on his face that said he was fearing for his place in fame.

"Oh really."

"Yes, really. And since I'm going to be your mentor, you'd better watch that little attitude of yours."

"Hm." Raven grumbled. She looked him over. So this guy's going to be _her_ mentor. Well he should know that Raven and mentors don't mix, because Raven follows no one, accepts help from no one, and all who meet her and plan to better know that she was _all_ independent.

After driving on for a few seconds, the limo screeched to an abrupt stop. "Sweet Marion—!" A red, green, yellow and black monster truck flashed across before them.

"WHOO HOOO!"

"BOO YAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

"What in God's name are they doing? People these days. You'd think some untamed monkey is running Silver Stone."

Raven looked down the street and saw the monster truck get smaller and smaller. People could be so immature sometimes. But, in some ways this was still like Jump City. Maybe she should consider giving it at least a slither of chance…

Minutes passed by and Raven began to get a little tired. She was feeling, actually kind of lazy. She stared at the world outside her without paying any attention to it. What was this world of riches and respect (from _some_ people hopefully) going to be like? Did you feel any different when the floor was shiny and clean rather than worn and chewed up? Where there any windows that didn't have spider webs? Did the toilet not overflow when you flushed left over prune cake? Could you beat up white bull terriers with a reddish-brown ring around its left eye for pleasure? She was soon going to find out.

Finally Lee said, "You're here."

'_Mother, I hope you're happy_.'

Raven scooted out the car and onto the asphalt. Before her stood a majestic, 3 level palace surrounded with gorgeous gardens and the greenest of lush grass. Her two eyes could not take the whole palace in one view.

"Could you go already! I have to park the car and I haven't got all day!"

Ignoring him, Raven ran up the asphalt driveway and white brick steps. She stopped to feel the fully bloomed roses and ivy that climbed up the palace's gray sandy exterior. She traced her hands back to the large handles of the massive two-door entrance. Pushing the door open, Raven was greeted with a gust of fresh air, fresher than she'd ever remember breathing.

Once stepping into the place that she wanted to hate, she felt the cool palace breeze. The marble flooring hosted a costly burgundy rug with accents of gold, complimenting the golden frames of masterpiece paintings and gold chandeliers. Maids looked up from their cleaning and passing cooks stopped to notice Raven, not sure if she was their new long-awaited princess, or a lost tourist.

Dropping her belongings, oblivious to the servants' gaping, Raven turned to explore parts of the palace. She explored the base level, finding game rooms, business rooms, and a stadium-chair theatre. She wandered in the usually busy ball room and graced the black and white marble counters of the spacious kitchen with her tender touch. Already on the counters of the kitchen were letters from famous cooks, asking and begging to shoot their shows in the palace kitchens. Through the glass doors and windows of the kitchen was a great view of the backyard gardens and an exotic waterfall pool.

Drifting back to the main entrance, Raven didn't notice her belongings were absent because she was so focused on the grand spiral stairs that took a massive whirl to the next floor. After following the red carpet up the stairs, Raven challenged herself not to drool over any of the second floor's contents. She explored the left wing and found some public dining rooms, art rooms, offices and many libraries. She also wandered into a room with many videos. It looked like a movie producer's room. Guessing the tapes were taped during special occasions, she left the room and went up the second stairs to the third level. Raven was strangely delighted to see a harp player in one of the sun rooms, her music carrying down the two different halls. There were countless bedrooms for guests and workers on the west wing, with smaller service rooms in between. There were also free bathrooms and a huge laundry room. A gym was located on the east wing of the level, and inside that gym were many other related rooms as well. Raven had spent minutes in the sauna and wandered in the spa. She rippled the water of the indoor pool and had finally slid back into the hall to pass more bedrooms and dressing rooms. She stopped at a grand set of doors that stood across the hall from the giant spiral stairs.

The introvert questioned the doors first. She felt that this was going to be the room where she cried and screamed, where she would bathe and meditate. This had to be _her _room. Her very own room. No more sleeping on worn out couches in a common area. She put her small hands on the sleek golden handles and chanted a quick meditation before pushing the door open.

Raven stood close by the wall. Keeping her guard up, she would never jump into anything without observing the scene first.

The carpet was nice, a little too white for the already bright room, but softer than anything she ever guessed could go on floors. The bay windows on the opposite wall gave an extraordinary view of the backyard's exotic pool, gardens and terrace. There was a warm burning fireplace to the far left accompanied with white leather sofas and a glass coffee table. Slowly making her way to the right, a giant bed at least two feet off the ground stood proudly. It was easily larger than Mister and Madam's whole bedroom, the pillows were huge and everything was extra-fluffy. Raven couldn't resist the temptation and threw herself onto the bed.

"Bouncy," she couldn't fight the smile that appeared on her lips.

The Goth just laid there for a while, staring at the gold, highly-detailed painted ceiling and wondered that someone must have a lot of time on their hands to paint upside-down so detailed. _'Mine' _she thought. All of these riches, for her to roam. She wondered what it would have been like to have Jinx here with her. She could already hear her letting out a string a curses for every beautiful thing she couldn't believe was there. Raven also wondered what her aunt looked like and what she was doing. Weird that she even cared. But it was just her, Ratty the Rat, and a palace with all its workers.

No friends, no annoying graduates, no white bull-terriers, no hypergenic people, no old farting people...

...no immature guy to make you so aggravated that you would turn the palace black and melt it.

"Hmm, time to do something." Raven hopped off the bed and noticed her luggage was in her room. But she'd unpack later. She levitated Ratty onto the gigantic bed, slipped her headphones on and entered the hallway. She was choosing which way she'd go when she heard voices echo from down the hall.

"Your Highness, this dress is to die for, it's a beautiful halter-top, and it's Spain's most treasured dress-"

"It's filthy."

"_Absolutely_. Just _look _at that halter. Halters are most _definitely _not royalty."

"I wear halters."

"And you do it in style, your highness."

Lee was holding a magazine with all kinds of white dresses and was circling some and X-ing some out. The woman he was sucking up to was tall and had familiar features. She had brown hair, pulled from her large forehead and tied in a bun. She wore white-arm length gloves as her long fingers stroked her elegant diamond necklace. Her dress was white, yellow and green, and it gave Raven the impression of scattered spinach on a napkin. The woman seemed to be intelligent, vigilant, and with low patience. On her head was a pure diamond crown. She stopped just in front of Raven, wearing dark clothes, old worn shoes, and blasting headphones around her neck. Raven looked up skeptically to her.

"Oh. _you_." Lee snorted. Raven glared at him.

"Come now Lee, that is no way to greet a guest. I'm sorry child, but you must be lost. I'll call security to escort you out."

Raven put a hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes at this queen. "Security my ass. And don't ever call me 'child' again unless you want to be sent in another dimension. Now are you really the Queen or some snot-nose paparazzi queen wannabe?"

The shocked woman gaped at Raven and then put on a wild display of anger with her face. "_Raven_?"

"What."

"Raven, if you ever show that kind of disrespect again, I will have you off this island in a heartbeat."

"And I will have you trapped in a black orb in a flash."

"Enough." The woman barked, holding her gloved hand up. "Now, I will talk with you later about this incident. Just look around and don't bother me in the next hours, _please_. I have enough burdens to deal with." She said turning away. "And your attitude had better be fixed by the time we have our little talk." And with that, the queen left and Lee was babbling behind her.

Raven shook her head and slipped her hood over her head. _'Nice to meet you too, Aunt Rochelle._' Everyone in this damned palace was so freakin dramatic. She was never good with family anyways. It was hard to trust anyone. She had done it only once in her life, a big risk, but not a regretted one…

She took three steps down the stairs and decided to levitate down instead. As she landed on the second floor, a scream shot through her ears and she jerked her head in its direction. She saw a maid grabbing onto a large plant for support. Her blue eyes were shot open and her short pudgy body was trembling. Broken tea cups and spoons were scattered before her. The lady stopped screaming and a girl's laughter could be heard from somewhere behind her.

"Something wrong?" Raven rushed to the maid.

"Y-you flew- flying-"

"Oh, sorry about that." Maybe she should stick to traveling on foot for a while. "Here let me help." Raven levitated all the silverware and debris on the tray.

"O-oh, thank you..." the woman stuttered, not believing the magic. "That's very kind of you."

_'That's very kind of you.'_ The words replayed in Raven's mind. She'd never heard those words form anyone beside Madam. Was she actually being _nice?_

"My name is Perrie. I am one of the housekeepers. If you need me, just ring."

"Thanks, I'm Raven." The unseen girl's laughter ceased immediately.

"Raven?" The lady quickly stood and nervously took a bow, but Raven stopped her.

"Hey, um, please don't do that."

Perrie nodded.

- x - x - x -

Around 6:45 pm Raven was sent to the main dressing room, where she saw formal clothes that had been picked out for her. She was totally against putting on the dark blue sparkly evening dress, but Rochelle had—with a lot of bickering and black glowing things—eventually got her to put it on. Sitting on the day bed, Rochelle waited for Raven to come out the bathroom. When Raven did come out she looked very pretty, even though she herself didn't think so. Her hair was tied back into a short, curled ponytail, leaving two pieces to frame her face. The dress was strapless, sparkling dark navy blue, complimentary to the violet pools of her eyes.

"Put these on." Rochelle held out white gloves, eyeliner and eye shadow in her palm. Raven looked at it and blew it up.

"Make me."

Rochelle puffed and pulled out her cell. "Fine." She dialed a single number and spoke, "Lee, please get up here. I have a stubborn ass that won't cooperate." She said glancing at Raven who glared back in meditating position near the window. Within moments, Lee and Perrie were in the room and restrained Raven long enough for Rochelle's favorite stylist to do the make-up.

"Perrie-" Raven struggled. "Don't let them-"

"I'm sorry your highness."

"Ha ha! There." Rochelle clapped her gloved hands in victory. "Thank you Lee, Perrie. You can thank them too, Raven."

"Kiss my ass."

"What did I tell you about that attitude?"  
"What did I tell you about that zit?"

Rochelle lightly slapped her niece with a warmed washcloth. "Ah ah ah, come now. I have some rules to set for the ball tonight."

"What _ball_?"  
"The ball that you meet you fiancé, of course."

"_What?!_" Raven hissed.

"The people are waiting down stairs, so is your future husband. I don't want to hear any bad language or attitude, see any bad posture, and for heaven's glory, eat with your mouth _closed_."

"I am _not _getting married!"

"Oh yes you are."

"You can't make me."

"Honey, there's security everywhere. Where are ya gonna go?"

"I'll fly."

"We have helicopters, sweetie. Try again."

"Damn you." The servants released Raven as Queen Rochelle pulled her to the stairs.

"Tsk Tsk. None of that. Now get down there." Rochelle pushed Raven down the second story stairs. "And make me proud!" Rochelle pushed Raven down the first story steps and to the ball room.

There many people conversed below. Scents of foods and perfumes wafted through the air. Palace guests were chatting, mingling, and dining. All stopped when Raven appeared before their eyes.

Raven was struck with stage fright. But all that melted away when her eyes fell upon her future husband: A spikey-haired, teenaged wonder boy, gnawing on a fork.

* * *

_Please drop a review for chapter tew!_  
~IllyMjay


	3. The Day We Met

**Hello everybody! I am almost in tears! You guys actually like this! Well, that makes me want to write and be happy so thank you. :) Um, about Silver Stone Island, I know that was terribly unoriginal, but when I was trying name the place, I couldn't think of anything. And now Silver Stone Island just runs off the tongue, so its here to stay lol :|**

Disclaimer:... you should know I _only _own the story and my people. If I owned Teen Titans, Robin and Raven would have had their own chronicles by now... oh wait that's what fanfiction is for :D

* * *

**Chapter 3 : The Day We Met  
Passion in the Palace**

* * *

Fear. Pressure. Restraint. Words that could describe what Raven felt as all eyes fell upon her. She tried to run and flee and punch Rochelle on her way out, but her feet were like cursed boulders, never budging from their spot. She glanced around the ball room at the different heads and eyes watching her. She felt it was only a matter of nanoseconds before she completely lost it, but it all melted away when she laid her eyes upon a masked, spikey-haired teen absentmindedly gnawing on a dining fork.

A feeling of deep, hot red lava boiled inside her. She knew _this_ was her fiancé.

As instantly as she knew this, she put in stone a complete refusal for this engagement.

_'Nope. No way. Noooo ma'am.'_ Raven swung around in full speed, ready to take off but Rochelle stopped her as quickly as Raven started.

"Where do you think you're going? You're all dressed up. I didn't do that for nothing you know. Get down there and _mingle!_ And talk to Robin. You should start getting used to him now."

Raven jerked her arm from Rochelle's grasp with angry eyes. "I don't_ want_—"

"_Now!_"

Raven growled. This was going to be one happy night.

Making her way nervously down the five steps and taking the scenic route behind some buffet tables and chocolate fountains, Raven avoided as many people as possible, trying her best to avoid a particular prince. Swiftly, Raven navigated to the giant windowed wall. Outside was a beautiful fountain surrounded by both day and night blooming flowers. Raven was thankful there was no one interested in the neatly cut grass, fountain and flowers. She slipped down into one of the oversized armchairs. _'Nice seating area,'_ she thought, as she let out breath. _'No one here._' Raven began silently praying to Azarath that her isolation would go undisturbed. If only she could do this throughout the entire ball...

"Ouch!" Raven immediately straightened up in the chair at the pinch on her back. Raven looked up to see Rochelle glowering at her. "What?" she asked irritated.

"_What _did I _tell _you about _slouching_?" She growled. "Just come, and don't do anything stupid.. or I'll find some enchanted tower and lock you in it."

Rochelle pulled Raven to an Norvallian couple enjoying finger foods from the buffet tables. Rochelle plastered a smile on her face and wrapped her arm around Raven. "Good evening," she said to them. "Such a pleasure to know the King and Queen of Norvalay were able to join us this evening. I hope you are enjoying our ball?"

"We always do," the large man said, toasting a complicated looking mini sandwich to the other equally large woman.

"Yes, your country's food has always been the best in the Northern Hemisphere." The lady smiled, and her eyes fell upon Raven.

Raven stared back with wide eyes.

"Oh of course, have you met my _darling_ niece, and princess of Silver Stone, Raven?"

At the sound of her name, Raven received a sneak pinch and spoke up. "Uh… how, do you… _do?_" she asked, uncertain if it was "proper enough".

The Narvallian woman broke out in a laugh. "Oh, Rochelle. She is. Just. Too. Precious."

Raven's head pulsed. Raven didn't _do_ precious_._

After wrapping the conversation up, Rochelle pulled Raven to another couple, and another couple, and yet another couple with _kids_. Kids that stared and pointed at Raven's chakra on her forehead, kids that hid behind their parents whispering, _"She's scary.."_ Each time Raven tried to get away, Rochelle would gracefully pull her right back, to endure yet another proper conversation with the royal and the elite.

- x - x - x -

"Are you gonna stop gnawing on that fork or what?"

Robin looked across the buffet table to Allikat, enjoying her fill of gourmet spaghetti. Instead of doing her job of helping Perrie bus tables and helping the rest of the staff keep the ball room sparkling clean, she was laying low and indulging on tonight's grub. Maybe to Queen Rochelle she was just another maid, but to Robin, she was a friend and ally, and also the only palace worker he found his age. She had also been the one to show Robin where the game rooms were, and had kicked his butt in a few games too.

"Just a bit anxious I guess," Robin said, looking at a few passing African princesses. "I have no idea what she even looks like. I thought you were gonna help me find her?"

"Mon Prince, if she is here right now, then she's probably chained to Queen Rochelle's arm. And if I find Queen Rochelle, then I'm gonna get busted. Again."

"I thought you said you saw her earlier."

"I did, she totally spooked out Perrie—" Allikat froze for a few moments and nervously tucked a lock of purple hair behind her pierced up ear. "Je suis désolé, mon prince, but I just heard the Queen's voice. Which means, I gotta go!"

"Wait!" Robin called after her, but the girl fell behind some marching waiters and disappeared.

Robin groaned. Alone yet again.

At that point, Robin decided to hell with everything and circled the buffet. He was deciding on what next to put on his plate when he faintly heard the voices..

_"Stop! This wasn't part of the-"_

_"Now's your chance to be charming."_

_ "I _don't_ want anything to do with-"_

_ "That's not for you to decide, hun."_

_ "Push me one more time and I'll—"_

Robin turned just in time to be smashed backward by a stumbling girl. Her arms shot up past either side of his chest, and reflexively, his arms wrapped around her waist. When his back hit the column behind him, the girl crumpled in his arms and they both slid down to the marble floor.

Robin had a strange feeling as he looked into the wide, violet eyes of the girl looking back from on top of him. The two locks of purple hair that fell from either side of her shocked, pale face dabbed his own face with every breath they took. Through the noise of the chattering people and the band's music, it was the sound of this strange girl's breathing that triggered his realization.

_This is Raven, this is the Princess!_

It was clear that Raven's shock wasn't going to let her off of him. Robin dropped his hands from her slender waist and propped himself up on his forearms, their astonished gazes never breaking. Of all the things he wanted to say, a terse, "Hi?" managed to escape his lips.

"Look, buddy," Raven's eyes suddenly narrowed. "I didn't exactly _sign up_ for this princess gig—" Raven stood up and dusted herself as Robin stood and faced her as well. "—Or to go to this stupid ball either. I only got here, oh, _today!_ And still _—just—_today, I find out that I have to get _married!_ Oh and not just married to anyone, but betrothed to some _ridiculous_ jackass and his over-gelled up hair." Raven tried to righten her clothing, her eyes were open to mere slits.

Robin could not believe that she just called him a jackass! _And_ said that his hair was over gelled. He could feel all the social etiquette Wayne had cultivated in him draining away. He finally meets the one he's forced to marry and _this_ is what he gets? "Hey, I didn't want to be here either!" If she got to vent, so did he. "I didn't want to be betrothed either! I've been ripping myself apart trying to find out who the woman I'm supposed to marry is and she turns out be some freaky bitch that doesn't even know how to say 'hi'!"

"Watch it boy, or I'll—"

"Can it! I don't talk to—"

"Wonderful!" Rochelle popped between the two head butting teens. "It's great to see that you two have finally become _acquainted_."

Robin snarled at the growling princess.

"You two just stay tight _one_ moment!"

Tapping her foot, Raven kept strong eye contact with Robin as she waited for Rochelle to return, as did Robin. But she didn't come back. The queen rose and tapped a glass with a fork, hushing the ball room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, kings and queens, our future weds have wonderfully made themselves familiar, let's give them a round of applause."

Robin and Raven looked around as everyone stood and faced them, clapping for them with pleased smiles on their faces.

"Thus, the Waltz of Acquaintance shall begin!" On cue, the ensemble began to play.

"_WALTZ?!"_ The two suppressed a shriek.

Robin turned to Raven. "There is no way I am _ever_ going to _waltz_," Raven crossed her arms over her chest. Robin persisted they do it just to get it over with, but Raven refused to budge. Rochelle made the deadly 'slash across the neck' motion to Raven. Raven grunted when Robin lifted his hand to her. She gripped his hand. HARD. Robin cringed. "I don't even know _how_ to waltz," Raven protested.

"Just follow my lead."

"I follow no one."

"Just _do_ it woman."

"No."

"Yes."

"_No!"_

"**_Yes!_**"

"Ugh! Whatever!"

Robin smirked. Raven scowled.

Robin lead Raven to the center of the opening where they proceeded to 'waltz'.

"Why the hell are you wearing a mask?"

"Cuz I want to."

"Well its stupid."

"Well, you're stubborn."

"Bite my ass."

"That might take a while."

The two 'waltzed' in the center as everyone watched and admired, oblivious to the sparks flying and dismissing the violent turns. Only Rochelle, Lee, and a few of the attentive palace workers could guess what was really going on. Insults and threats escaped the clenched teeth of the teens. Raven would purposely stomp on his foot, and Robin would jerk her in a different direction. Soon, the dancing became more and more violent.

Allikat and Perrie watched from behind the pillars.

"They're getting awfully close to the food there," Perrie twisted her apron in anxiety.

"Oohh I hope they get all into that!" Allikat smiled with a slight crazed look in her eyes.

The teens neared the punch fountain, growling and threatening each other when Robin mentioned something smart about body movement and gracefully dipped Raven's head into the punch.

Almost like it was on cue, the whole room gasped. There was a thick silence and the only movement was the breathing chest of a very satisfied and smirking Robin. If Wayne found out what he just did, it would have been the end of Robin's existence. Grinning, he looked over at Raven's submerged head. She'd been eerily still for a while…

Raven had been silently meditating, just a bit, to say, keep the earth from blowing up and all. Slowly, she pulled her head up and stood up straight. She moved the sopping reddish-purple hair from her face and revealed white, glowing eyes.

_'Oh, shit….'_ Robin thought, not comprehending the poop he just put himself in.

"_That's it!"_ she hissed. "Azarath Metrion _Zinthos!"_

The huge, yellow and gold seven layer cake beside the fountain turned black, rose and splattered all over Robin's face and body. Thus, another classic ball room gasp.

Raven levitated in satisfaction. Robin had been plundered with cake, she would snap a picture, send it home, labeled "My First Day."

Robin emerged with two overstuffed handfuls of rich butter cream lemon cake, and tackled Raven to the floor. Teens and little kids began to shout and throw food.

Allikat grinned and gave an evil look to Perrie. "Madame, you know what _this_ means…"

Perrie's eyes grew in fear. "Josie, don't say it—"

"FOOD FIGHT!"

The grand hall was adorned in sauces and chunks of meat. Ice cream, stuffed shells, caviar, and half-eaten rolls danced across the floors. Kids, teens, and even some adults fought bravely in the food fight, while others retreated for cover under the round, covered tables.

Raven had straddled Robin across his stomach, and faster than Flash—"Here, have some mayo!"—Raven stuffed handfuls of mayonnaise in Robin's mouth and slapped him across the face. The mayo almost went through his nose until he grabbed Raven's wrist and spat the rest at her face.

All the maids and cooking crew were in the ball room on full duty, but Allikat was loving it all. She succeeded to hit Rochelle with sushi and squid. She tried to hit Lee but missed and hit a spazzing out Perrie instead. "Enough!" she squealed.

"Enough!" Lee gasped for oxygen.

"_Eeenouuggh!" _Rochelle yelled opera-style.

The last of the betrothed's inner ice ignited in flames. "ENOUGH!"

Robin and Raven dashed out the ball room and split in different ways, leaving the rest of the party to deal with the aftermath.

"Oh, now _that_ went well." Lee stated.

"Everyone on full duty! This place should be cleaned by midnight!" Rochelle barked. "Lee, put together apology packages—_quickly_—and get these people's cleaned up. As for _those_ two..."

- x - x - x -

Robin ran up the first story steps and glared angrily at Raven who ran out back. He ran up the second story steps and into the big bedroom, pushing the doors back shut. He saw Raven's things on the carpet and an old rat stuffed animal on the bed. "Great, this is her room _too?"_ He was about to kick her bags, but he stopped himself. Going to the closet room, he practically ripped off his tuxedo and threw on a black T-shirt and some boxers. He marched over to the bathroom and doused his entire head in cold water. Drying his head off in a frenzy, Robin yelled into the towel, threw it down, and tackled a body pillow on the bed. _'Happy now, Robin?'_ he thought as he punched the pillow. _'You found your future wife, and she's a maniac witch. Are you gonna call Batman and tell him how _wonderful_ she is and that you only wished to see her sooner?'_

Now there was an idea. Calling Batman and pounding the past events into his head sounded good to Robin. After all, Batman _did_ know about everything. Sliding to the right of the bed, Robin reached for the phone on the nightstand. But before he picked it up, it rang. Cautiously, Robin answered it.

"Hello…?"

"It will take time, Robin." It was that creepy man again.

"Who are you! What do you want!"

"Easy, Robin. Don't be so quick to anger…" the voice said steadily. "It will take some time."

Robin slammed his fist on the nightstand. "Who the hell are you? Why do you keep calling?"

"It will take time…" The call ended.

"UGH!" Robin slammed the phone back on the receiver. "What is going on?" Robin shuddered and threw himself back on the pillows. He took a deep breath and exhaled. Picking up the phone again, he dialed a number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Cyborg."

"Hey Robin! So how did it go? What's the girl like? What's her _name…_ where's she _from…_ c'mon man, gimme the downlo."

"I'd rather not talk about it right now."

"Oh… okay then, what's up?"

"Is it too late to take the monster out for another round?"

"Sorry man, the crash is gonna take a while to repair."

"Cybooorrg."

"Man, quit whining. It's just not right. And if you _crash_ a monster truck, its going to take more than 5 hours to repair."

"You're right. Sorry to bug you. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, see ya."

Robin put the phone back on the receiver.

Why him? Why the Waldo de Caprio guy? And most of all.. why _Raven?_

* * *

**IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN My drawing of Allikat, then go do it! (radiotoast dot com slash allikat dot jpg)****  
**_OR DON'T_, if you seriously hate having your own mental image altered, because I get like that too sometimes.  
Anyway.  
_Please leave a review 3_ ~IllyMjay


	4. A Day With Your Other

To Everyone: Robin and Raven kinda hate each other right now because (even though you'll never hear them say it about themselves) Robin believes in falling in love, and not getting married to someone you hardly know, especially when you hate their guts. Raven (with serious underlying reasons) just pushes people away and doesn't like to get caught up with them, So of course to her the idea of getting married is _absurd_. But they get into so many quarells and situations, they end up discovering more about each other than they realize. Do they strongly dislike each other? Oh yah. Is there something pulling them together? DUAH! Read on lovies, read on...

Oh and Guess What :D! I don't own the Teen Titans.

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**Chapter 4 : A Day With Your Other  
Passion in the Palace**

* * *

Dashing out the ball room and through the kitchen, Raven flew through the glass doors and slammed them behind her. She ran over to the pool and fell belly up next to it. Staring into the deep indigo sky and the bright stars, she only wanted to scream and yell to rid her anger but she knew what would happen if she did.

"_Dammit!_" She growled. She gripped grass in her fist and threw it in the pool. The workers could clean it up. Rochelle could clean it up. Robin could clean it up.

"This isn't fair," she cried. "Why me? Isn't there some other girl who's more suitable and willing to be the princess of this island?"

Just then a rat popped through the grass and nudged Raven's fingers. Raven turned away and almost hit the rodent but it jumped out the way. It nudged her again. Raven turned angry eyes on it but stopped when she noticed it was _green_. _'Now that's odd_.' Raven looked skeptically at it and it did just the same. The rat didn't bite, hiss or do anything that said it could be a savage beast with incurable rabies. In fact, it sat on her knee in the most poised of manners and looked into her eyes. Raven blinked back.

At least someone was willing to listen to her. Who cared if it didn't understand.

"Do you feel this kind of pressure, this _hatred_?"

The rat squeaked and went silent.

"It's like I can't do _anything_ anymore. Something else will come up that I hate and have no choice but to go with. I love my mother but why _must_ this be _me_?" Raven looked to the sky, feeling the pressure to stay for her deceased mother, and her own will pressuring her to just fly away and leave this life behind. "Maybe I should just sit here like a rock and they won't be able to do anything with me."

The rat gnawed her finger gently and squeaked.

"No, huh? Then what else am I supposed to do?"

The rat made a series of squeaks, twitched its whiskers and went silent.

"I can't believe this," Raven said in a change of tone. "This rat is talking to me." The rat squeaked again. Raven sat up and brought her knees down to sit Indian style. A few deep moments went by where she just stared into her lap. Finally looking up, she said, "You know what, I'm going to give everyone in that damned palace a hell of a time, particularly Robin and aunt Rochelle. And just because you're green, I'm going to keep you and make sure you get all the cheese you want." The rat squeaked and nestled around her legs for a nap. "That's a good idea," Raven said observing the grand palace from far away. It would be to her fancy if she gave Rochelle a good scare for her first night, so she refused to return to the palace this night. Yes, it may be an unsanitary sleep but was it much different than sleeping on her old, dirty sofa? And if some unfortunate person were to wake her up she'd blast them back to the ocean.

- x - x - x -

Robin woke to the metalic booming of dense metal on solid frying pan. As he shot up from the pillows of the master bedroom bed, the noise stopped and was replaced with the laughter of a half-man, half-magnificent machine.

"Cyborg, what the hell?" Robin screeched at the tall, muscular, half-wired guy standing at the foot of his bed. Robin's under eyes were baggy and he felt the blinding sunlight shatter his vision. Even though he wore a mask, there was something about Silver Stone morning sunlight and how it seemed hell-bent on temporarily robbing people of their waking vision.

Cyborg laughed at Robin retreating under the thick blankets. "You'd better wake up Robin, or Queen Rochelle will come and getchya!"

Robin grumbled and peeked out at Cyborg and half-smiled; Cyborg was his long-time buddy and he was—usually—a cheerful, carefree person. "What's that in your hand?"

Cyborg looked at the frying pan he held in his large robotic hand. "Uh, I was going to use it on your head if the high voltage hammer didn't work." Cyborg laughed at his own silliness. "I'm debating on waffles or pancakes, but I decided without BB waffles just ain't waffles."

"Right." Robin said. If Beast Boy was here, the waffles would most likely be tofu, even though there was typically no meat involved with waffles. They'd be tofu on _his _plate anyway. "So other than that... what's up—"

"ROBIN!" Rochelle's voice boomed through the large heavy doors of the bedroom and the tall, royal brunette stomped over to the foot of his bed. Both teens looked up with wide eyes. "Where's Raven?" She tapped her foot and crossed her arms.

To his annoyance, Robin noted that Raven had crossed her arms and tapped her foot that same way when she refused to dance with him at the ball. "I don't know," Robin grumbled and rubbed his narrowed morning eyes, disturbed of the memories of events he had with that _witch_.

"What do you mean _you don't know_? Lee doesn't know. The workers don't know. Not even Allikat knows. Tell me, Robin, where is your fiancé?"

"She's NOT my fiancé! I don't know or care where she is! I just woke up!"

Rochelle grunted and turned to leave the room. "Find her," she commanded, making Robin groan. "Before you eat your waffles." Cyborg groaned as well.

Robin scratched his crazy black hair and headed for the bathroom for a shower. Coming out he was dressed in jeans and a slim black T-shirt that had a white 'T' with a circle around it on the chest. His hair was neatly spiked back up with minimal gel in his trademark style. Going back to the bed, he threw the giant pillows on the bed just to keep the nice room from looking messy. Forgetting it was Raven's, he put the rat toy carefully on the bed as if it were a fragile infant. With that he and Cyborg left to go in search of the betrothed goth.

- x - x - x -

Raven awoke to green grass, gentle cascading water, sweet-smelling flowering bushes and sunshine. Realizing what she had done, she crawled into a nearby bush to hide and observe her surroundings. The green mouse scurried behind her.

A security guard's radio tuned in.

_"Find her yet?"_

"Nope." He replied. "I don't think she's back here."

_"Alright then, let's check the greenhouse."_

"Roger that."

Raven slowly shook her head. Pathetic idiots. And they have the pride to call themselves 'high-authority professionals'. After two guards headed out of sight, Raven slipped out the bush with the green rat on her shoulder. "Better get going," She said and headed inside the palace.

- x - x - x -

Going to the middle level, Robin and Cyborg entered the main kitchen. "Okay culinary people, out you go! The master chef wishes to make Breakfast!" Cyborg beamed. The three cooks all muttered stuff in French and left the sunlit kitchen.

"_The master chef wishes to make breakfast! Look at me I'm Cyborg and I think I'm soo great at cooking!_" a raspy voice said from on top of the island counter.

"So what," Cyborg said. "They always got some insult to say. 90 percent of the time it's in French."

Allikat hopped off the counter to the teens. "Actually they were threatening you, quite vividly I may add." She took off her headphones and pulled her messy purple hair into a wild high ponytail.

"Morning, Allikat."

"Bonjour, Prince Robin." She smiled sweetly and took her already made PB&J sandwich in fingertipless gloved hands. Completely changing her manner, she tore it apart and devoured it. "I need a Quizno's." She said gently licking the peanut butter from her fingertips.

"Who needs Quizno's when you have the greatest sandwich machine right here!" Cyborg beamed.

"Um, excusez-moi monsieur, but _I'm _the greatest sandwich machine." Allikat corrected.

"Ha ha, you? One, you're not half-machine, so you can't be a machine. Two, I can make a toasted-bread tomatoes, onions, lettuce, chicken, mayo, and ham sub before you even finished making that little bite you call a PB n' J. And three, because _I'm _the biggest, _I'm _the baddest, and I could kick your pleated-mini-skirt ass in the kitchen anytime, anywhere! So, BOOYAH to you little lady!"

Allikat's head pulsed. " '_Little Lady'_? I'll show you a little lady! Robin, get the paparazzi so Silver Stone can see what this _little lady _housekeeper/pro wrestler can do!" Allikat spread out her fingers and positioned for a deadly fight. Cyborg readied himself for a battle as well. After five seconds of dedicated narrowed-eye contact, the two charged at the fridge, mercilessly pulling food out of it to their own stations and began preparing The Best Sandwich at a raging speed.

Robin sighed. "Since you two are making sandwiches, I guess I'll make the waffles."

- x - x - x -

Raven entered her bedroom. "Time for a shower," she told the rat. Walking past the bed and oblivious to the state it was in, she entered the bathroom. Oblivious to the toothbrush, shaver and deodorant, she walked past the sink counter. Oblivious to the damp towels on the heated towel rack, she threw off her clothes and entered the shower. Grabbing a fresh white washcloth, she began to shower for a few minutes, occasionally humming. Then it hit her. Abruptly, she turned off the shower and peered out the foggy glass doors. Carefully stepping onto the white rug, she closed the shower door behind her and stared wide-eyed at the used and unused set of towels. Gulping she looked at the toothbrush and levitated it closer to her face. Staring at it for a while, she threw it back on the counter. Quickly grabbing an unused towel, she wrapped it around her and squeezed the water from her hair. Pinning herself to the wall opposite of the counter with 'man' morning stuff, she slid past the counter, and toilet and dashed out the bathroom and onto the white carpet of her bedroom. She swallowed as she slowly turned to the bed.

_Someone had been sleeping in her bed_! And from the looks of it, she knew it wasn't easily gonna be Goldy Locks. The green rat scampered from under the bed with a half-metal sneaker and paused at Raven in only a towel wrapped around her.

"Did you know about this?" her voice shivered in suppressed anger.

The rat's tail stiffened straight and he scurried back under the bed.

Throwing her purple hair in a quick messy wet ponytail, Raven slid on a tight black T-shirt and dark skinny jeans. Barefoot, Raven stomped off in search of Rochelle, or Robin, or whoever was unfortunate enough to be found first.

- x - x - x -

Rochelle was in the garden deciding on what flowers to put around her statue. She saw Raven stomping angrily at her in clothes other than her dark cloak and blue shoes. She was quite pleased. "Good morning, Raven you look nice today." When she saw she was barefoot, Rochelle frowned. "Well, bett_er_."

"Cut the crap, Rochelle. Why is my room _used _by someone _else_?" Both women knew who 'someone else' was.

"Raven, sweetling, you should call me _'Auntie' _or even _'Queen' _at least. After all we are family..."

"Tell me why!" Raven hissed.

Rochelle sighed and dismissed the gardeners for their break and turned to Raven. "Robin is your fiancé, you're future husband, the future king. King and Queen sleep in the same room, same bed, n' that is why you two will be sharing a room."

"Sharing a roo— Rochelle, I don't even like him, I can't even stand him! Why do we have to-"

"Because, Raven, that's the way it is. You don't like it, too bad, you'll have to deal with it! No questions asked. That's the way they've planned it for centuries, that's how you're mom planned it, and that's how I would have planned it. Now, you must be hungry, go eat or meditate, or whatever it is you teens do."

Raven growled and shoved her hands in her pockets. If Jinx were here they would both go and destroy the entire garden. Then poor 'Auntie Rochelle' would have to plan all over again. Oh how she missed Jinx and their evil ways already…

- x - x - x -

After stuffing their faces, Robin, Cyborg and Allikat planned to spend some time in the back. They were relaxing on the second-story deck when they saw Rochelle making her regal way from the gardens.

Allikat stiffened. Queen Rochelle would be angry that she was slacking again and would have Lee barking all over her for it. Also, because she happened to be standing and laughing with Robin, which would appear as flirting to Rochelle. She was going to go to Cyborg's side, but unfortunately it was too late.

"Allikat!" Rochelle yelled. "You're slacking again! You are here to serve, not to converse with engaged princes!"

Allikat grunted. "Yes, your Highness, I was only a second away from returning to my duty. I apologize."

"Good, now get on it." Rochelle commanded.

Allikat obeyed, hiding gritted teeth and muttering in French on her way.

"And Robin," Rochelle called. "Did you find Raven?"

"No." He said bluntly. "And I don't intend to."

"ROBIN!" Rochelle barked up to the prince. "Let's get something straight! Obedience is something I find vital here, and if you don't understand that, I'll have you scheduled for an eight-hour lecture on it!"

'"I'M SORRY! I'M ON IT!" Robin grabbed his hair and headed down the deck's stairs. He looked back at Cyborg. "Are you coming?"

"Sorry man, you're on your own this time," Cyborg said, realizing that his sandwich didn't subside his hunger at all.

Robin narrowed his eyes and began his journey into the gardens.

- x - x - x -

Hesitantly calling out _"Raaaa-veeeeen!"_ after every minute, Robin thought he was going to die. It was hopeless. It was a quarter after one and he was starving. He knew if he didn't return to the palace with Raven, Lee or Rochelle would send him out again.

"RAAAAAAAVEN?" He yelled again. "_Dammit_, you insufferable bitch where are you!" No response. Robin limply dropped his arms. His stomach growled and felt like they just grew teeth. He should have eaten a better breakfast, walking around searching for the elusive spell-caster was weakening. "_Raven_," he almost whined.

Somehow, he managed to drag himself along. And then he heard the words and ducked for cover.

_"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"_

Nothing happened to him. Returning to his feet, Robin looked through the tall rose bushes nearby. He saw Raven standing next to a pond, her bare feet and the hems of her skinny jeans damp from testing the pond's surface. A toad fell from the air and on to her head as the lily fell back into the water. "Super."

Overwhelmed, Robin super-jumped over the bushes and gladly went to Raven. "You're here! You were here all this time!" Robin smiled from ear to ear, rubbing his hope-filled stomach. "We gotta go back! I _gotta eat _something! Thank God, Let's go!"

However, Raven wasn't as excited to see Robin. "Eat this!" She punched Robin in the mouth and sent him crashing into the pond, sending koi fish swimming away. She drew back and rubbed her fist realizing the stupid place she punched him, and stared at the water.

Robin's formerly happy head sprang from the water in disbelief. "What did you do that for!?"

"Because you took my room and now I have to marry you." Raven peered at his drenched head.

"What? I didn't take your room! I didn't even know we had to share one!"

"Whatever. Let's just go back. The quicker we get there, the less time I have to spend with you."

"Fine." Robin said. He tried to get out, but he slipped on some underwater mud causing him to splash in back-first. All the brave remaining fish swam away, and now he was saturated in mud and pond water.

Raven looked back at him, stifled a blurt, and broke into a wicked laugh at Robin. She covered her mouth to stop, but laughed even harder at the sight of his wet, puzzled face seeing her laugh. "Way to go Superman," She said between breaths. Seeing the acclaimed 'Wonder Boy' soaked in her pond's mud was quite the delicious treat.

Robin looked at Raven laughing at him. He had to admit it was eerie seeing the dark, Gothic girl laughing in a garden, her aura creating dark swirls around her. But deep down it gave him a strange thrill. "Yeah, yeah," he said waiting for her to calm down. "Could you at least give me a hand?"

Raven looked at Robin. He was still wearing that stupid mask and his hair looked like a wet chewbacca. He sat helplessly in the water, unable to move because of the mud, and was waiting for her laughter to subside. The fact that he had to ask for _her_ help made her laugh even more wickedly. "Sure, why not?" she said between laughs, and handed her hand to the pathetic prince.

A tragic mistake.

Robin grinned and jerked her down into the pond. The sound of her evil laughing to a scream was priceless. It was Robin's turn to laugh wickedly.

Raven shot from the surface coughing out water. After composing herself somewhat, she choked, "What was that for?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because it _felt good_ to finally shut you up," he laughed up harder.

"Oooh, you're gonna get it now..." she warned and slowly descended into the water.

Robin's laugh slowed down as he watched Raven's black soul-self descend into the water. Again, he was creeped out, but found it interesting that she could change like that, just by using her emotions or energy or whatever it was. His smile completely faded when he was left alone at the pond's surface, without even a croak from a toad or chirp from a bird. Staring at the spot, he wondered when she'd come back up for air.

And then he saw the big bubble.

"RAVEN!" He shouted. She couldn't have really just _drowned_ herself, could she?

Kicking into super-hero mode, Robin took a deep breath and dived under. '_Where did she go?' _Robin began to panic and as he searched for her. He saw her figure deeper into the pond. He dove for Raven, and when he finally got near her he wrapped his arms around her waist. Just when he was going to swim up, a hard, black orb shot from around her body like a barrier. Suspended in the orb, Raven floated in the water, lifelessly still.

Robin pounded on the warm barrier and swam around looking for a weak spot. Finding none, he placed his hands on the orb, hoping somehow Raven would wake up. Even the barrier started to feel colder. He swam back around to her head and pounded five more times. Gazing at her unconscious face, he felt helpless… until he saw a slight smile form on her lips.

_'She's teasing!' _Robin abandoned Raven and retreated for some much needed air. _'I can't believe, she tricked me.'_

Raven appeared grinning at Robin. "Why so _panicked_, Robin?"

"I was _nervous_ because you are my TICKET to lunch, and if you were to just _drown_, I won't be having any."

"Whatever." Raven fell back into her expressionless self. "Let's just go already."

The two got out the pond and squeezed whatever water they could from themselves. Robin slid off his black Tshirt and squeezed the water out, revealing his ripped abs. Raven was shocked to see them and jerked her head in the opposite direction to hide her persistent blush.

Robin looked over at her, noticing a few stones near her dimming from color to black. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing."

Robin shrugged and flapped his Tshirt over his shoulder and they headed to the palace.

- x - x - x -

When Lee saw the condition the prince and princess were in, he almost had a heart attack. Fuming and going on and on _and on_ that this was _no_ condition for any _royal_ member to ever be in. He sent them to shower before they had lunch (which they did separately so they wouldn't have another food fight). The afternoon went safely enough, Robin and Cyborg were fighting combat and Raven read books and stoked her green rat. Softly, the purple and orange sky faded into a dark blue and indigo one, and once again the bright stars danced in space.

Lee walked nervously through the mid-level hall to Rochelle's office. She had specifically told him to report there after the brats had winded down for the night. He wasn't quite sure what she had planned, but she did say it was "Out of this world".

"Your Highness?" Lee waited for permission to enter the room. Rochelle was talking on the phone.

"Ah yes, of course she can stay... No, she'll be fine here, as long as you hold on to your side of the—Oh, hi Lee, come in—you must keep your bargain... No, the princess will be fine, I'm sure my niece will get along with her just fine. Robin is already quite familiar with her. Yes...yes, okay. Have a nice night."

"Is everything going well, your Highness?" Lee asked observing the distraught queen.

"Yeah, okay. Here's the deal. The planet 'Tameran' is under attack, and they have to get the royal family outta there before they get captured away. So, the princess Starfire will be living here until the war is over and everything is okay. She had a sister, Blackfire, but they don't know what happened to her, so it will just be Starfire."

"Is she dead, the sister?"

"They don't know. I don't think so. My impression is that these Tameranians are really strong, and if the older princess left to go fight, she's probably still out there kicking ass. That's just my pickle and juice. Anyway, Tameran has this fruit called the 'Zorka Berry' which thrives all over the planet. They say no creature can resist the taste and it becomes highly addictive. So the agreement was that we host little Starfire here and when they're done up there, they will start the zorka berries on Silver Stone Island. They'll show us the secret to cultivating them in our atmosphere, so it will be exclusively grown and sold here. That should really boost our economy, and I wouldn't mind my island being known as the only place to find zorka berries on Earth."

Lee rubbed his chin. "Sounds good."

"Yeah, huh?"

"So when's the princess coming?"

"She should be here in about two to three days..."

"Do I have to _pick her up_?" Lee groaned.

"Maybe."

"Rochelle, I'm always 'picking up' princesses. Isn't that the chauffer's job?"

"Lee quit whining and complaining about your job. I'll tell the chauffer's what to do and I'm tellin you what to do. God, I need something smothered in chocolate." Rochelle said suddenly, rising from her chair and stalking out the office door. "Tell someone to get me something smothered in chocolate! With whip cream! And I want them made from the cocoa beans of Brazil! Not that cheap American crap!"

"Yes your highness," Lee heaved and went to yell at some chefs.

- x - x - x -

Raven sat on the bed in her new pajamas. A dark silk tank top and shorts felt cool against her skin, and it made it easy for her to slide around on the bed. She was quite happy that there were clothes here for her to wear, instead of her wearing a triple extra-large Tshirt and some dainty, holey boxers. And the food wasn't that bad, incredible even. And she liked the numerous rooms and libraries, the things you could do and the places to meditate. Surprisingly, the workers were very accommodating and even friendly. ... The palace wasn't that bad she had to admit. Her mom must have had it made before she gave birth to Raven. The bed alone was enough to go camping, hiding, and doing gymnastics on. It was nice to have her own suite.

Or, _almost_ her own.

Raven stroked the green rat and teased it with her fingers. It fell backwards, trying to get up it fell backwards again.

"Your clumsy," Raven chuckled.

There was a scratch on the big bedroom door and it slowly opened against the soft carpet. Robin hollered good night to Cyborg and Allikat and trudged over to the bathroom.

Raven sat up. "Where are you going." She said sternly.

"I'm _going _to take a _use_ _my _bathroom." He almost growled.

"No you're not. Not in _there_."

Robin stopped and turned to Raven. "Excuse me, princess?"

"You heard me. Use a guest bathroom or something. And while you're there sleep there too."

"I'm going to shower in _my _bathroom. And I'm going to sleep in _my _room. _You_ can do whatever you want." He said closing the bathroom door.

"Ugh!" Raven grunted and threw her head into the pillows. She finally gets a place of her own and she has to share it with _him?_ There was no way she was giving up what was rightfully hers, especially not on _his_ account. "Fine, have it your way." Raven turned off all the lights and went to 'sleep'. If he 'woke' her, she had the right to blast him away.

Ten minutes later, Robin came out the bathroom feeling fresh, steamed and ready for a nice good night. But obviously, there was someone sleeping in the bed.

Robin walked over to his favorite side of the bed which was the side closer to the windows. Raven sprawled out over the bed. If she was trying to take up the space, she should have multiplied herself by thirteen. Then she would have had a fraction of the bed covered.

"Raven, I know you're awake."

Raven just laid there.

"_Raven_." He said loudly and more irritated.

"Fine, you asked for it." Robin took a wide body pillow and slammed it on her head.

Raven shot up as the magazines on the glass table boiled in black. "What-!?"

Robin shut her up by placing his finger over her lips. "Just shut up okay? You're on my side of the bed."

Cross-looking to his fingers on her lips, Raven's eyebrows arched downward and she took his finger and bit it.

"Ouch!" Robin withdrew his finger into his other hand.

"May I suggest never doing that again." Raven peered at him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "And what do you mean _your side of the bed?_"

"My side is always the side closer to the window."

"What's wrong with the door?"

"You think I want to be woken by Rochelle's booming voice every day?"

"Then why should_ I_—"

"Scoot- over!" Robin pushed Raven off 'his side' and crawled under the massive blankets.

Raven tried to resist being pushed. After feeling the last thrust off his side she turned to fight him but he was already nestled in his spot. Grumbling stuff in her Azarath language, Raven pulled the covers over her head and turned for sleep. She'd have to go through this eeeevery night.

"_Gooooodniiiight, sweetie_," Robin teased in his rough, nighty-night voice.

"Just shut up."

* * *

_Please leave a reveiw!_  
~IllyMjay


	5. Beast Boy ? !

**A** **Big warm juicy** Thank You to everyone who reviewed! It fills my heart with bountiful creativity and inspiration. Welcome back everyone for Chapter 5! I'm so sorry this one is a little short :( I promise I'll make it up to you though :)

Disclaimer: OK, You can stop rubbing it in now! I don't own the Teen Titans! If I did I'd be one too!

* * *

**Chapter 5 : Beast Boy!?  
Passion in the Palace**

* * *

Raven stood on an isolated rock in a red, warped world. She had braced herself for the moment to come. Baby ravens with four red eyes swirled around her shouting threats and warnings. Raven blasted them away as a swift gust slid her feet almost to the edge of the small rock. A red giant demon with piercing yellow eyes, razor white hair, and ominous black markings approached her.

"I've been waiting forever, _father_."

A rumbling roar was all it took to crumble the rock and send Raven flying towards him. Using her magic to great power she let anger swarm through her body—because this time it was okay. She let hate course through the veins of her form—because this time, it was okay. Dodging dense, sharp claws and the beaming fury of her father's eyes, Raven flew in and out, under his legs, around his head, between his towering hands, shooting her spells at him and burning over with rage. She managed to dodge all his plundering attacks and levitated in front of his face.

"Now father, I will never see you again!" She cursed as she formed a growing, sparking black orb of all her negative emotions in her hands. Raising the dangerous, rapidly growing orb above her head, she threw the massive energy at her father's chakra. The giant towered backwards and crashed into solid rock at the base of the warp as her negative energy seeped into his skull and fatally damaged him from the inside out. A victorious half smile mounted Raven's lips as her four red eyes diminished into her single pair of amethyst ones.

Gently landing on the solid rock where her father lay fallen, she stopped next to his foot. It was well over twice the size of herself. She began to walk to his head so she could see the look in her dead father's face. But before she got past his ankle, he rolled over causing Raven to gasp at the incomprehendable. '_Why isn't he dead?'_ Her fear cried out. Courage had decided to take the day off, leaving Raven feeling very small. Raven ran across the rock as far as she could from her father, her ability to fly inexplicably not present. Standing, he took hold of her cloak and snatched her in his cold, massive hands. Bringing her at high altitude to his face, his beastly voice said, "_Why Raven, do you think you can defeat me? You don't have the power nor strength to beat me. Don't you see, you are nothing! A mere flake of dirt. You don't have what it takes, you are weak!"_

Raven shut her wide eyes in attempt to block out her father. But it was no use, his voice rung through her ears and head and sent his message throughout her shivering body and hammering heart. '_You are weak_,' the voice echoed through her head and mind. "No," she protested, more to herself than the demon. '_You are nothing_,' She struggled in his grips to no avail. "No," '_You _have_ nothing!' _Raven squeezed her eyes shut, her heart begged to be free to run away but her father's gripped was permanent. "No!" She yelled. Her feet began to feel an oozing cold and turned black. Her shoes, her legs, and chest all began to feel cold and turned black. The demon laughed. "_You are Nothing_." The blackness and cold had reached up to her chin and was going over her head. _"No..."_

_- x - x - x -_

_"Raven!"_

Raven quickly sat up right and was instantly greeted with light. Squinting, she saw Robin freaking out. His masked eyes were wide and his hair was extra-crazy and sparking. "Raven! What's going on?! Is it you doing that? Make it stop! Control it!"

"-W-what?" Raven look up. "What?"

"Look around you!" Robin flipped, his arm motioning to their whole bedroom.

Raven looked around. Furniture and pictures pulsed in black, sparks were running throughout objects, and magazines and pillows were haphazardly scattered on the ground, twitching and sparking with remnants of her aura. Feathers from some pillows were still floating down in the air. Raven's eyes widened. Somehow her emotions—

Raven looked back to Robin. He was a mess. He must have woken up and seen the place going haywire.

"What _happened_? Why is everything—"

"My emotions..."

Robin paused. "What?"

"My emotions must have escaped my dream, my mind somehow... somehow they escaped my dream and got into reality... this doesn't make sense... maybe they were too strong... couldn't defeat—"

"Oh no. Oooh _no._ I am _not_ waking up every morning to a psycho and her telekinetic _mind _storms." Raven flinched hard at his words. "I just can't—you know what, I'm outta here." Robin said, throwing down pillows on the bed and heading for the door.

Raven quickly hopped out to the bed and levitated before Robin. She pushed her hands on his chest to keep him from leaving.

"Wait! Robin, wait. This doesn't happen very often, and I can control it. I promise! It's nothing a little meditation can't take care of," she said, also reassuring herself.

Robin looked at her with unsure eyes, and finally sighed. "Okay, but just don't freak me out like that again. I can deal with a lot of stuff, but waking up to _that…_"

Raven nodded and dropped her hands. Thinking of his words, she floated to the bathroom. Before she closed the bathroom door, she saw Robin staring at her with a contemplative look. "Um… do you need the bathroom?"

"No," he said softly. "I'll just use a guest bathroom… or somethin."

Raven eyed him and nodded. "Okay."

Robin walked out into the hallway in his boxers and Tshirt. He couldn't help but feel a little exposed. He kept thinking of the fearful look on her face, and couldn't imagine what that whole storm was about. And how even after that she offered him the bathroom. Something she didn't have to do, even though he was going to use it… which he should have been able to… because it was _his_ bathroom! He stopped. _'Were Raven and I just getting along?!"_

Raven looked at herself in the glass mirror of the master bathroom. She picked up an unused toothbrush and squeezed glowing red toothpaste on it and brushed in quick, small circles. _'Hm. Cinnamon_.' Raven continued brushing as she glanced around the mirror and down to the counter. She had fresh jasmine hand soap, fresh thick paper towels, a new tube of toothpaste, some men's deodorant... _'Men's deodorant?'_ Then it hit her with a gag. '_Did I just_ stop_ him?__ Why did I want Robin to stay!? Why did I... did we just compromise?_' Raven spat out the toothpaste and stared at her reflection. '_But somehow it felt like the right thing to do…'_ At that thought, Raven smacked herself in the forehead and slid her palm down her face. _'I'm due for a meditation.'_

_- x - x - x -_

Cyborg was once again in the kitchen, preparing breakfast and whistling and singing. He was having a blast tormenting the little green rat with delicious meats, such as bacon, eggs and ham. "What's the matter BB? Don't you like green eggs and ham? Ha HA!"

The green rat shivered in its fur.

"Here's your tofu, and look! I'm gonna make you a _nice_ omelet with tofu, juuust like you like it. WITH HAM!" Cyborg laughed, expertly dicing up tiny squares of ham, and shoving the pile to the rat with his knife.

The rat gritted its teeth.

Cyborg took a strip of bacon and slowly put it in his mouth. The rat stopped squeaking and turned its back to Cyborg from the counter. It then looked back to Cyborg with beady, saddened eyes, flat, small round ears and a long curled-in tail. He gave Cyborg "The Face"—rat style.

"Aww, man BB, don't do that. Don't _do _that!" Cyborg pleaded, holding up a large robotic hand to block the view of The Face. He spread out his fingers and those sad, large beady eyes were still there, now accompanied by an almost inaudible squeak of sadness. "Here…" Cyborg said gently. "Have some pineapples." Cyborg stuck a toothpick into a juicy yellow piece of pineapple and offered it to the rat.

The rat sniffed it and opened its tiny mouth wide to chomp on it. Instead of the nice juicy fruity flavor, it tasted cold hard metal in its mouth.

"Does the spatula taste good?" Cyborg cheesed. Grabbing his stomach he laughed out loud at the always gullible green one.

The green rat morphed into a rhino and charged Cyborg into the nearest wall. Cyborg, falling back to his feet looked at the animal. The green rat sat innocently chewing on pineapple. "Real funny, BB. Real funny."

"Cyborg... right?" Raven entered the kitchen and noticed a few cracks on the wall behind Cyborg. "Um… what are you doing?"

Cyborg straightened himself up. "Uh, good morning Princess, I was um-"

Raven sighed at being called 'Princess', but quickly livened up a little when she saw her strange green rat on the kitchen counter. "Hello precious," she smiled. "What are you eating? Pineapple? I want some too." Raven walked over to the bowl of freshly cut pineapples and took the bowl. Cyborg's jaw dropped. The rat squirmed up to her shoulder and she gave it a piece of fresh pineapple and walked off in search of a library. The rat stuck an impossibly big tongue out at Cyborg.

Cyborg's jaw hit the floor.

After registering in his head that Raven had gone off with _his _bowl of juicy, freshly cut pineapples, AND was going to share them with that rat, Cyborg ran after her. "Hey wait a minute! I was gonna use that for _brunch_!"

Raven chomped down on a circle of pineapple. "I guess there's advantages of being Princess."

Cyborg felt his stomach sink. "Aww man, now how am I gonna have pineapple pancakes for brunch dessert?"

"Not my problem."

Cyborg sighed. "I guess I'll just make some waffles."

Raven turned back around on one foot. "Waffles?" She loved waffles so much, especially the way Madam made them, but she could never make any. Those delicious gridded cakes of homemadeness always gave Raven the feeling of being warm, and completely _human_. "You're…_making _waffles?"

"Uh... yeah."

"Do you think you could… make me some too?"

Cyborg rubbed his chin. "I don't know..." he said contemplating.

"You don't know? Aren't I _the_ princess?"

"You know it's not nice to let authority get to your head." Cyborg said, remembering that she was just a teen like himself, and only recently became princess.

Raven bit her bottom lip. _'Fair enough'_. She really didn't want to do this, but she really wanted some home cooked waffles.. especially after all the events she went through. Dear Moons of Azarath, it pained her to have to do this. She sighed.

"Please."

"I got an idea." Cyborg suddenly said, ignoring her painful surrender of pride. "If you SOMEHOW beat me in pool volleyball, then I'll make you some waffles. _Only_ if you beat me. Deal?"

"Deal!" Raven accepted before she realized she agreed to playing sports. She flew up the stairs to change into a swimsuit. She could almost taste those waffles now... with the butter and jelly, or syrup, or homemade ice cream... But she didn't have a swimsuit! She never packed one! How was she going to—

"Bonjour Princess Raven." A tomboyish sounding voice passed the open doors of her bedroom. Raven flew to the doors. She could have sworn that was a girl and she sounded close to her own age...

"Hey, I need help!" God, she never thought she'd ever have to say those words.

Footsteps reversed back to the massive opened doors and a pierced teen with wild purple hair and a funky wardrobe appeared. "Yeah?"

Raven close her surprised eyes, looked away and looked back. "Um… who are you?" she asked, taking in the girl's worn converse shoes, fishnets, black denim miniskirt, white wife beater shirt, and snake bitten lips. Her blue eyes stood out from the dark eye shadow she wore, her mp3 player blaring noise from her headphones that dangled around her neck.

"Oh, Je m'appelle Allikat." She took a gracious bow. "I'm a house keeper cleaner person of sorts. Do… you need help?"

"Yeah.. I uh, I need a swimsuit. _Real_ soon." Raven rubbed her elbow.

"What do you need_aaii_ mean sure hold on a sec." Allikat took off down the hall. There was some ruckus, a curse, doors opening and closing, and footsteps flying back to the door. Allikat held a dark blue bikini with lighter blue Hawaiian flowers on them.

Raven almost blushed at the suggestion of her wearing a bikini.

"Did I make it fast enough? Do you know how many seconds that was?" Allikat asked shoving a lock of hair behind her gauged and pierced ear.

"Yes, and no."

"Oh, ok. Just trying to do the 'fast service' Lee keeps lecturing me about."

"He's a dick."

"Totalement. Oh, here," Allikat handed Raven the bikini. "If you need anything, just let me know!"

Raven nodded and Allikat closed the door. She levitated to the antique, full length mirror standing beside the balcony doors. Bringing the bikini up against her, she sighed at her reflection. "What do you think?" she asked the rat on her shoulder.

The rat froze and plummeted to the ground.

"My thoughts exactly."

Raven quickly undressed and put on the swimsuit. She checked herself out in the mirror once more. It fit her nicely, she guessed. It showed off her curves that Raven always tried to hide. She knew that on a beautiful model with a normal skin tone, these curves would take lives. But on her—a creepy, half demon with gray skin and an occasional pair of extra eyes when she got mad—it seemed way out of place. Anyone who saw her would instantly agree that on _her,_ her body was just awkward and strange. She sighed. Too bad she couldn't wear her cloak into the pool.

The promise of Cyborg's wonderful waffles snapped her back to now. How was Cyborg going to play _pool_ volleyball? He was half computer and machine… shouldn't that be bad for him or something? Well it didn't matter. Just makes it easy for her to win, so long as she didn't get electrocuted, and easy to indulge her aching mouth in those glorious waffles to be had.

Raven closed her eyes and let her jittery energy flow over her body as she became her shadowy soul-self. The green rat squeaked when she grabbed it and passed through the exterior wall and soared down to the pool area.

Setting the rat down on one of the lounge chairs, Raven skimmed to the edge of the pool and materialized there. A volley ball net was set up, but there was no Cyborg. Her rat yawned and waited for the action to begin, but no one came. Raven thought it would be a good time to get used to the water temperature so she waded down to the side she presumed to be hers. Feeling she was used to it, she turned and called to the rat. "Well where the hell is he?"

The rat didn't respond. Raven was a little unnerved to see it staring so hard at her. _'It's just a rat, Raven. Rats don't judge you for how you look in a swimsuit.'_

Oh, but the rat was judgin. And the rat was _likin'_.

Cyborg finally blasted through the first story kitchen doors. He barreled down the green lawn and up to the pool and jumped right in, causing a huge splash and a large wave. "Are you ready, Raven!"

"Cyborg, how did you—"

Cyborg didn't look like a cyborg. He looked, _normal._ All of his mechanical parts were gone, and he looked like 100 percent towering, ripped human being, his chocolate skin gleaming in the sunlight.

"I'd like you to meet Stone," Cyborg said. "_Victor_ Stone. This is the me before me, the me that's gonna kick ya butt in pool volleyball!"

"WOOO HOOO!"

Raven suddenly saw Robin running up to the pool, showing off that glorious chest and six pack in his black and red swimming trunks. Raven noted how tall he was, wearing just those swimming trunks before he cannon bombed into the pool on Cyborg's side of the net.

"What is _he_ doing here!? On _your_ side!" Raven yelled, ignoring a light blush on her cheeks. How the heck was she gonna win the waffles like this?

"Aw, come on Raven. We all know how much you _love sports_, so it'd be unfair to Cyborg if you made him play alone."

Raven gave Robin an incredulous face.

"Uh.. _yeea_," Cyborg said, rubbing the back of his head. "You ready?"

"But that's two against one!"

"Get Allikat to be on your side," Robin suggested to Allikat, who came to watch the fun also.

"Yeah Right, mon prince. If I get caught Lee or Rochelle would crucify me. Besides, you can take em down Raven! You've got _super_ powers!"

Raven looked down at her bare wet hands. She never thought of them as 'super powers'. They were just another cursed gift her father gave her that constantly reminded her she wasn't fully human. "I don't need powers to take them down."

"C'est l'esprit! Go get em girl!"

"Alrighty then, let's _start!"_ Robin served the ball before Raven was ready.

"No!" She yelled, diving for the ball. It plunged into the water a foot away from her reaching hands.

The rat flinched. This wasn't fair. She was only doing this because she wanted waffles!

"1 to 0! Our serve!" Raven grumpily levitated the ball over to Cyborg's side.

They served again, and got a point.

Another serve, she lost.

Another serve, she lost.

Another serve… and she lost.

"5 to 0! Come on Rae, pull it together!" Cyborg yelled, positioning for a serve.

"I _would_ if you guys didn't—"

Splash.

"6 to 0! What are we playin to, Cy? At this rate we could go to a hundred."

The green rat sat next to Allikat. She sensed the rat wasn't feeling too happy. It twitched every time the guys got their hands on the ball, and every time it splashed on Raven's side.

"7 to 0!"

The green rat couldn't take it anymore.

"**_I'M COMING RAVEN!_**"

* * *

**Remember Raven's Dream from the begining!** Ok? 'ts Im-_po_-tant.  
Also, if anyone's wondering, all the main characters are ALMOST in the story, and as soon as they're all here then the action begins!  
Please leave a review, Let me know those thoughts!  
~IllyMjay


	6. I'm Listening, and a Date

**I am sorry for the wait, I made this chapter extra long to make up for it. Please enjoy this one because if you don't I will blow up into little tiny pieces.**

Disclaimer: I only own my characters and this story.. _not_ the Teen Titans. Nor 'Hey Mama'. So.

This chapter is dedicated to **everyone**, and thank you so much to all who left a review(s)

* * *

**Chapter 6 : I'm Listening, and a Date  
Passion in the Palace**

* * *

Raven jerked her attention in the direction of the new voice. A large green tiger leaped above the pool and spiked the ball. It crashed down on the pool's surface and disappeared under the dissolving bubbles.

Raven stared wide-eyed at the vanishing bubbles.

She didn't just see a tiger, a _green_ one… did she?

Glancing around, everyone else seemed to be unaware of the inexplicable phenomenon, with the exception of Robin and Cyborg mumbling comments about some 'Beast Boy interfering'. When Raven was sure she was hallucinating, she glanced back at the spot and a green blur rose to the surface. Should she run? Should she attack? But curiosity told her to stay put. Whatever was rising, it was already a few inches out the water.

Raven's facial expression was as twisted as what she thought she was seeing. None of it made any sense. Everything in front of her was green. Dark green hair… huge dark green eyes… skin… or was it fur… and _wow_, those were some huge elf-looking ears… and what's with the sharp tooth?

Raven stood looking at the teen-boy with unblinking eyes. The teen stared back, but fidgety and uncomfortably. He laughed nervously. "Um, heh, 1 to 7?"

Raven quickly narrowed her eyes and advanced on him. "_Who _are you and _what _do you want?" she hissed.

The green one waved his hands defensively. "I'm Beast Boy!" He said trying to happy the mood. "I'm helping you kick Robin and Cy's butt-"

Raven grabbed his neck as there was no collar to jack him up with. "Don't mess with me, _who _are you!"

Beast Boy morphed into a raven and back to his human form. "Raven it's me!" He changed into the familiar green rat.

Raven caught the rat in her hands with a splash and looked at it in a softened, confused way. She stared at it as if trying to find some kind of logical answer. The rat _was_ green, and it looked exactly like the one that was sitting on the lounge chair a minute ago.. and after all how many green rats could there possibly be on this island? Finally, after much hesitation, she said in a quiet voice, "..._Beast_-Boy?"

He changed back to normal with a tiny splash in the pool. He put his hand behind his head and smiled gleefully. "Yep, that's me."

"But I don't understand, you're my rat."

"And I can be a lot of other things too!" Beast Boy switched to a clicking dolphin (which was green) and to a humming turtle dove when he jumped into the air.

"See," he said in his human form. Raven still looked with confusion. "I guess we have a lot of talking to do, huh?" Beast Boy's ears fell downward as he started to get out of the pool. Before he could put one foot up, he was jerked back down into the pool.

"Where ya goin? I still want my waffles."

Beast Boy smiled from ear-to-ear, "You _got_ it, Princess!" and morphed into a gorilla and cracked his knuckles.

"Our serve." Raven announced.

Robin and Cyborg sighed and the ball was tossed over.

Looking down from the 2nd level in Rochelle's office, Lee said, "Oh, look your Highness, the kids are playing together. –With, erm, a green gor- gorilla..."

"What?" Rochelle said looking up from her papers.

"Uh..."

"Let me see." Rochelle rolled in her chair to look out the window. She smiled somewhat but quickly frowned when she saw the green gorilla morphing to human to cheer and gorilla to spike. "Great. Another brat to add to the Freak Squad."

- x - x - x -

"Yeah! 74 to 61! We won Raven!" Beast Boy beamed.

"Super. Now I just want my waffles and then we can talk."

Beast Boy sagged. He felt this 'talking' thing would be too hard for him to explain and that Raven would never accept him. "Okay," he said and slowly got out the pool with Raven following quietly behind.

"Ey', man, quit lookin at her body like that," Cyborg said to his fellow loser in the pool.

Robin gave Cyborg a shocked face, "What?! Cyborg I've seen girls at the beach and she's no different."

"Yeah," Cyborg said. "Except that she's your fiancé. She's your _woman!_"

"CYBORG!" Robin tried to fight the anger and fiery blush burning on his cheeks. "She's not my fiancé and she's not hot!"

"I didn't say she was hot." Cyborg pointed, grinning even harder.

"Errrghh, Just—!" Robin jumped on Cyborg's very broad shoulders and shoved him violently underwater. "That otta shut you up."

- x - x - x -

Evening had set on the horizon and the warm night breeze was quite relaxing on the 3rd story balcony where Beast Boy sat, waiting for Raven to come out of her room. His green eyes traced back to the waterfall pool they played in earlier. _'She seemed to be having fun then.. But what if she'll never accept me? What if I get rejected... again..._' Beast Boy sighed. The pool looked pretty at night with the strings of Chinese-looking lanterns and colorful water lights and stuff...

Footsteps came and the bedroom door was closed as Raven stepped onto the balcony, her hair still damp from a wash. Beast Boy looked up. Raven sat down on the chair next to him where they both gazed out over the palace features. It was peaceful and nice and warm until Raven spoke in a tone so flat that it made Beast Boy break out in cold sweats.

"So. Care to explain?" Beast Boy couldn't tell if she was on the angry side, understanding side, or the let's-freak-him-out-by-the-monotone-expressionless -voice side. Her face didn't even give him a clue how she felt about this, making it difficult to figure out what to say.

"I.. um..." Beast Boy fumbled with his large gloves. "Uh.."

Raven let out an annoyed sigh. "Just start with who you are."

Beast Boy smiled and relaxed. "Okay, I'm Beast Boy."

Raven grunted. "Well I know that much."

"Oh, heh." Beast Boy laughed nervously. "Well, I...am kind of like a… well I _am_ a, shape-shifter, sorta person."

"Yeah, um..." Raven felt awkward asking. "How did you-"

"Get this way?" Beast Boy's large ears went down again as his gaze suddenly fell back to his large gloves. "Well, a _really _long time ago I got bit by this weird green monkey."

_'Green monkey, who knew there were more_,' Raven thought but decided to shrug it off. Everything in this past week was weird.

"I was a normal kid then, but for me to survive my parents had to do surgery, and that plus the monkey bite caused my genes to become unstable. I was never the same again, _but _changing into any animal I want is pretty cool though. And green was always my favorite color. I never thought I'd say this, but it rocks being not fully human, right Raven?" Beast Boy grinned.

"Um, yeah..." Raven rubbed her elbow. '_Totally._'

"I mean, I'm half human and half animals! And you're half human and half... half..." Beast Boy stared at Raven's gray complexion, purple eyes and hair and diamond marking. Just looking at her idly sitting in the chair, she seemed to give off mysterious vibes. "Geez, what are you?"

Raven grumbled in discomfort. "An outcast."

Beast Boy scratched his ear. There was much more to her than being half outcast. He stared at the half-demon before chuckling. "Hey me too."

"So, how did you meet the others? Based on their lack of a reaction, I'm guessing they knew you already."

"Oh...yeah. I knew Cyborg first. Since I was like a pup. He also had surgery done on him to save his life, if you couldn't tell from all the machinery. We've been best buds forever. About Rob, I met him through Cy and we've been jammin and stuff. And then Robin got sent here to this _awesome_ humongous palace and we play video games on the big theatre screen TV with extreme surround sound! And the chicks in Silver Stone are hot man! And then there's the vegetarian pizza at this one shop and _nice _mopeds—"

"Moving On," Raven interrupted. "Why didn't you just show me who you were?"

Beast Boy gave off another nervous laugh but looked down. "Well, I... I wanted you to see that I could be your friend...and... I thought you wouldn't like me if I started off like... _this_." Beast boy motioned to his body.

Raven looked at him deeply. She took in his green skinfur, his big ears, his honesty and his hidden insecurities. "All this time, I thought you were... just a rat... a _green_ rat. I mean I know that was bizarre but I didn't think—"

"I'm still the rat you knew, Raven." Beast Boy turned Raven's shoulder so he could look her straight on in the face. "I'm still your little rat friend, and I could be so much more, too. I'll always be here for you, and listen to you rant... ya know, that's kinda what friends do."

Raven looked at him long and hard. She couldn't remember a time when someone _wanted_ to be her friend. She couldn't even remember how she and Jinx came to _be_ friends. She thought about the issues, the risks… She was different, not just on the outside but deep down, too. But if she looked around, she would find a half man half robot, a green shape-shifter, Robin in all his steadfast jackassery, an only teen palace worker who seemed to be at home with it all, and she couldn't forget Queen Rochelle either. She was _related_ to Raven and that was enough said. So perhaps someone _could_ understand. Perhaps it would be okay to open, to trust. And why not start with silly, lovable Beast Boy. Offering a rare smile, she said, "I know, and... thanks."

Beast Boy made a happy yelp and changed to a green, fluffy puppy. Hopping on Raven's lap he licked her face and made Raven chuckle and shove him back to his seat.

Raven wiped her face and sighed. "Guess I have to tend to some betrothal issues."

Not known to either teen on the bedroom balcony, Robin had entered the semi-lit bedroom for a change in pajamas. He caught sight of Raven and Beast Boy talking on the balcony and couldn't help but wonder what they were conversing about. Silently, he moved to the bed and listened.

"Ya know, I don't see what's so bad about the prince marry princess thing." Beast Boy said generally.

"You mean you're actually _with_ this marrying Robin thing?" Raven glared.

"Sure, why not. I mean he's actually a good guy, and you seem like you need a good guy."—Raven scoffed—"And any girl would kill to go on a date with him." Beast Boy paused. "Well, same for me too. I mean, girls just can't resist the ears—"

"But I'm _not_ just any girl."

"Yeah, but wouldn't you like being married to a super hero? A strong and courageous super hero? ...Someone you can always count on..."

"Robin's not a super hero," Raven said sternly. "Has death ever been so close to his face it was almost _tangible_? Has he ever looked evil in the face and realized that there was a possibility he _might_ not make it out alive? Has he ever had to make the choice between his life and the destruction of another? Has he ever met his ultimate evil match that could wipe out the country if he made _one_, _single_. _trivial_. mistake?"

"U-uh..."

"Thought so."

Robin usually wasn't affected by the mean comments Raven said about him, But just as she finished her severe, and rather chilling questioning, Robin felt his heart stiffen and sore. He couldn't tell exactly why he just felt the hurt: Because Raven didn't consider him a super hero _at all_, or because she wouldn't marry him for that. And the second reasoned confused him even more because this was _Raven_, his supposed to be fiancé and neither of them liked the other at all, not even a smidget. So why did it bother him now? Those questions... He forced himself to think away. Instead, he'd put Raven's words back into her mouth and prove to her that he was indeed a hero. Though Batman rarely let him do any real crime fighting, he did help the JL from time to time, including accompanying them to the planet Tameran.

Falling back on the bed Robin sighed before changing into comfy night gown pants.

Sighing again, Robin removed his mask and rubbed his eyes and put the mask back on. Suddenly, a vivid image of Raven in her dark blue bikini shot through his mind. Startled, he smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand but the picture just got more detailed with every flustered smack. First smack: the sexy bikini. Second smack: the amazing curves. Third smack: the bountiful cleavage. Fourth smack: the wet drips down her unique skin tone and finally those bright, vivid, soul-searching amethyst eyes. Flustered by the unwanted growth in his pants, Robin turned around and almost screamed when he saw the same eyes staring back at him.

"Woah-" Robin breathed.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem?"

"N-nothing." He said in a high-pitched voice, almost sweat dropping.

Raven contemplated trying to probe his mind. Of course, like every other time she tried to probe someone's mind, it didn't work. Instead she just let it go and flopped onto the bed. She then looked back up and remembered Robin was in Pj's. "Are you goin to bed already?"

"Um, no, I'm just goin down stairs to play some video games with Beast Boy, Cyborg and Allikat."

"'k." Raven said and folded her legs up to her chest.

Relieved, Robin turned to leave but took note of her relative silence. "Hey, um, are you okay?"

"Yeah.. why wouldn't I be?"

"I.. just saw you talking to Beast Boy, and..."

"Nope everything's super... Did you know Beast Boy got bit by a-"

"Green monkey, yes I know. Well, I'm going down, if you wanna come you can, but, whatever." Robin said gripping the door handles.

"Um, sure I guess, but I think I'll meditate for a while."

"Okay."

The two sat there in silence for a while, but completely changed when they realized they were having another 'sweet' moment.

Raven quickly grabbed a pillow and threw it a Robin. "Like I'd ever want to watch a bunch of idiots going crazy over a stupid TV screen!"

"Yeah, and you can keep your telekinetic ass in this bedroom cuz nobody wants their hair sparking in black again!"

"You just _can't_ get over that, can you."

"And you just _can't_ control that, can you?_"_

"Screw you, Robin!"

"Yeah, you wish!"

Raven threw as many pillows as she could and Robin slammed the large bedroom door behind him, making a loud echoing sound. After they were out of sight from each other, they smirked.

- x - x - x -

Beast Boy, Allikat and Cyborg were in front of the theatre-screen TV yelling over videogames.

"Come on Cyborg, lemme play!" Allikat hit the metal part of Cyborg head with a dust pan.

"Argh… get off me, woman! Just let me beat Beast Boy!"

"Hah! Yeah, right dude! Keep dream-"

**-[[[GAME OVER]]]-**

**!CYBORG HIGH SCORE!**

Cyborg placed the controller down and crossed his arms over his chest, giving Beast Boy an all too familiar look. "You were saying?"

There was a long pause before the three had begun to argue once more over whose turn it was to play.

"Stupid boys!"

"Come on man!"

"Dude, he cheated!"

"My turn!" came the familiar voice of Robin ready to play.

There was silence again until Cyborg spoke. "Well, you're gonna have to get in line because I'm the-"

"Ta gueule! I wanna play Prince Robin!"

"It's not your turn Allikat!"

And again, the argument pursued with Robin tangled up in it too.

Nobody noticed but Raven entered the room. From under her hood, she stood watching idiots grabbing, yelling, and crawling all over each other. All went silent again as the controllers, the metal on Cyborg, and the clothes of Allikat, Beast Boy, and Robin turned black and suspended into the air.

"Now that you guys have shut up, what the hell is going on here?"

"I thought you were meditating.." Robin said still hanging in the air.

"I was but there was too much racket echoing from the theatre I couldn't concentrate."

"Prince Robin came down, and it was my turn to play anyway and these two crap heads started flippin out."

"Nah, see," Cyborg started, "I was playing BB and the French maid came in and started hitting me with a dustpan."

"Yah, and I was about to win too." Beast Boy pouted. "Until Cy got mad at Allikat and went psycho-crazy on the controller and beat me."

"Oh please, BB. He could have beat you with his eyes closed." Allikat snapped.

"Nuh-uh! You're just jealous because you don't have the skills to beat me!"

"Watch it snot!"

"Trash can!"

"Guys! Shut up!" Robin yelled.

"Why can't you guys just settle this in a mature manner?" Raven sighed, keeping them tight in the air.

Robin groaned. He wasn't immature. He just got caught up in immature situations... especially when videogames were involved. So what if his maturity level reverted back to age 3 in this environment.

"Well it's not my fault Beast Boy pretended to be a rat so he could see you naked." Allikat murmured. Beast Boy fell silent and very red.

Raven slowly turned her glare to Beast Boy and hissed, "You did _what!?_"

"Um, heh, no Raven it's not what you—"

Raven dropped the three others but kept Beast Boy in the air and advanced on him. With every step closer the anger stung the ground and her eyes grew that much whiter. "The whole time, I thought you were _just _a _rat _but that was your way of seeing naked girls for free!"

Beast Boy sweat dropped and shrank in his form. "No, Raven! Remember what I said on the balcony!" He panicked.

"SHUT UP!" she roared, and tackled him to the floor. Her eyes were glowing full white and her dark energy seeped from her body. She made the step to trust one person and this is what she got? She punched him, socked him, beat him up in ways that only suppressed rage could have her do. Her hidden pairs of red eyes begged to take over. "You green little dog! I'll neuter you _right _here, _right _NOW!"

"NOOOO!" Beast Boy screamed. "Robin—HELP!"

Robin shivered at the sight of a rampaging Raven. "Um, sorry Beast Boy... you're on your own..." Robin wanted to help, but he also wanted to stay alive. Besides, it was Beast Boy's crime being carried out...

"AHH! Robin! Help, PLEASE!"

"And now, _Beast Boy_, your reproductive capabilities end _here!"_ Raven said, forming colossal black scissors that snapped in her control.

"_ROBIN!_" Beast Boy cried. Allikat and Cyborg hid behind the couch.

Robin gritted his teeth. No man should have to bear the fate of life without his balls. "Raven let him go!" He yelled and charged Raven to the ground, breaking her concentration. Beast Boy morphed into a mouse and fled towards Cyborg and Allikat behind the couch.

Raven got to her feet and sent a burning glare at Robin. "What the _fuck _did you do that for?"

"Beast Boy said he was sorry!"

"Oh _you'll _be sorry." She launched a low kick at Robin aiming to knock him off his knees. Robin blocked it easily and dodged many of her storming punches. Robin's facial expression turned to a bored aggravated one; Raven was terrible in hand-to-hand combat. At least to him, a boy wonder.

Loudly sighing Robin waited for Raven to try and punch him again. He grabbed her fist and pulled her to his other side and flopped her on the ground. Smirking, he sat on her.

"Robin!- get your—stupid ass—off me!" Raven struggled. Inside, she felt surrender melting over. "—Get—OFF!"

Robin sucked his teeth. "Sorry, Princess, but it's time for your time out."

Raven growled in defeat.

Just then the doors swung open and Rochelle, Lee and Perrie entered.

"Robin, Raven," Rochelle addressed. "Tonight you—" Rochelle caught sight of Allikat behind the couch. "Allikat, you're slacking! Last time I tell you! Get ON your JOB!"

"Oh, man!" Allikat whined, and grumbled out the door. "Je déteste ce sot métier."

"Anyway, Robin and Raven. What are you doing in your night clothes?"

"Um..." the two teens looked at each other, confused.

"You two have a date tonight."

"What!?"

Lee explained. "Tonight's your first date so you have to pick a place to go. If you're going to get married you have to date first."

The two shivered at the thought of marriage. How laughable it was that they thought dating was necessary. As if they had a choice to begin with!

"Of course, there is a ball in the Silver Stone Stadium." Perrie suggested. "You two could engage in a late night waltz—"

"NO!" They yelled. _Anything, _but a waltz.

"Hurry up and think of something 'cause you have to be back by 3 am." Rochelle stated.

Raven just glared at her aunt and waited for her to leave.

"Hmm..." Robin thought. This was a great chance to get out of the palace. "What about a night club?"

"What!" Raven pushed him off her back. "Robin, do I _look_ like the party type?"

"Oh come on, it'll be fun." Robin smiled.

"Ricochet." Lee suggested Silver Stone's most popular night club.

"No."

"Yes."

"Okay, then Ricochet it is," Rochelle snapped her fingers. "You guys get ready a limo will be waiting in 15."

"What?" Raven gaped. Everyone cleared out the room accept her. "I don't even know what to wear!"

Rochelle patted Raven on the shoulder. "That, my niece, is where the Queen comes in."

Raven gave Rochelle a terrified look at the thought of being in her hands.

"Robin and Cyborg are going to the main dressing room. I'm taking you to your room to perform magic of my own."

Rochelle called back for Allikat and the three went to the bedroom with Perrie and a stylist right behind. Beast Boy tried to enter as a rat but got shut in the face by a glowing, black door.

- x - x - x -

Around 10:30 a limo awaited the prince and princess, ready to go. Cyborg nudged Robin as he waited for his fiancé to come to the front lobby so they could go already. Impatiently Robin tapped his foot and began to wonder if this was really a good idea. There were footsteps, and Rochelle and Raven came into view.

Robin saw Raven speaking to Rochelle, and Rochelle knowingly smiled and assured her that everything was going to be okay. When Raven turned to descend the stairs, she caught sight of Robin and paused.

Robin couldn't believe his eyes. Raven was wearing a _dress_, a short, midnight blue corseted dress. Though she was several inches shorter than him, in those shiny black pumps her legs seemed to go on for days. Her cropped leather jacket reached down to her wrist where a charm bracelet dangled before her slender hand and black-painted nails. The black laced choker on her neck was teasing. The waves in her purple hair made her hair seem shorter, stopping a little past her jaw; but with those tantalizing violet eyes of hers, he was fighting to remember where he was.

Raven paused when she saw Robin standing at the foot of the stairs. For a brief moment, she had a thought that it wasn't him, there was no way that Robin could be _this_ alluring. He ran a hand through his black hair, which now fell in a soft, shaggy way around his face. A dark, tight-in-right-places button down shirt was rolled three-quarters way up, where the toned muscles of his arms reminded her of the rippling muscles of his torso when she saw him half-dressed at the pond and pool. His jeans lightly hugged the muscles of his long legs and finished over a pair of Silver Stone's best brand of boots. Raven looked back to Robin's face and unconsciously bit her lower lip. He was still wearing that mask.. but with him standing there, waiting for her, he was all tall, dark, and commanding in a mysterious way.

"Okay!" Rochelle clapped. "There will be plenty of time to drool over each other, just get in the damn car already!" She said pushing the two teens to the limo.

Raven stopped before getting into the limo. "Why am I doing this?"

"Just get in!" Robin shoved her in the backseat and scooted in himself.

- x - x - x -

In a few minutes they were in the streets on their way to Ricochet. At night, downtown Silver Stone looked like Hollywood or Las Vegas. So many people were dressed out for a Friday night in Silver Stone, walking the streets, shopping, dining at restaurants and gambling at casinos. Both teens were giddy as they peered out the tinted windows reflecting neon lights and blinking signs.

"So are you excited?" Robin asked, hoping she was as crazy about this as he was.

"Do I _look _excited." she said hiding her mixed emotions.

Robin frowned, somehow he could tell that she wasn't as collected as she appeared. "Overwhelmingly so."

Raven gave him a look before she looked down and twisted her fingers together. "I'm just a little.. nervous. I don't know what to expect from going to a _night club_." Raven shuddered at the thought of being surrounded by _so many people._

Robin gaped. "_Raven_? _Nervous_? NO..."

"I bet that makes you full of joy, doesn't it."

"Don't worry," Robin smiled. "It'll be fun, I promise."

Raven rolled her eyes and sighed, facing her window. She hadn't had a proper meditation since she got here. She just hoped everything would be okay.

Within several minutes, Pierre stopped the limo in front of an overcrowded building. Red carpet rolled from the doors guarded by bouncers, outdoor lights planted in the ground shown onto the building. The pounding bass from the music rumbled the floor as the crowd grew more and more eager to get inside.

"You two behave yourselves," Pierre said quickly in his thick French accent. "Ricochet's staff knows you're here. I will be back at two-fifteen, AM. Enjoy yourselves."

The two scooted out of the car. Robin grinned at Ricochet's neon sign, energy dancing within him. Raven watched in despair as Pierre drove off.

Giving Raven an assuring smile, Robin offered his hand to her. "Shall we?"

Raven rolled her eyes and took his hand, feeling an odd source of comfort in it. "You take this prince and princess thing too far you know."

"Welcome to Ricochet," a big burly man with a hard, rough voice said to them. "I'm Jack, I'll properly escort you inside."

Inside seemed like there was no space to breathe, though somehow, you could. People where everywhere, dancing on the floor, eating and drinking and conversing at tables, booths, bars. The night club crew was out serving drinks, kicking people out, dancing in cages. Lights of all colors shone through spotlights moving everywhere, and any other rare unoccupied space was occupied by sound waves, making everyone familiar with the beat.

As Robin led Raven through people, he felt Raven's hand tighten on his. Remembering that there were seats reserved for VIP's, he turned to Raven. "Let's go get a spot."

Raven nodded. As they walked by people, head after head after head turned in her direction, giving her appraising looks. "Can we just sit anywhere?" she asked, wanting to avoid attention. Some men even hooted and whistled at her as they passed the bar.

"Sure," he said and pulled her into a nearby booth that a small group of people just left. Sliding in, the privacy seemed to increase to 25 percent. "This good?"

"Super," she said, as guys hollered for her number.

"I'll go grab us some drinks," Robin said cheerfully and slid out of the booth before Raven could adjust to this club life.

"O… kay," Raven watched as Robin smiled and left. She wished that he had just taken her with him, but then she'd have to pass by even _more_ people. She shyly rubbed her elbow, her charm bracelet reflecting all the colors of the different lights. This was super uncomfortable. People were looking at her… and they were looks of attraction, not of disapproving judgment or creeped out wonder. It was all so new, and she didn't know how to handle it. She wished Robin would hurry back soon…

Checking on him, Raven scanned to see where he went. Spotting him and his shaggy hair, she saw that he didn't even make it to the bar yet. She also saw that a bunch of girls in cooch-buster mini dresses, shouting "Prince Robin!", were circling him, some dancing their bodies on him.

In this moment, Raven didn't know what came over her. The feminine arms draped over his chest, the lipsticked lips whispering in his ear, a suggestive grab of his hand. Perhaps it was Raven's demon side getting territorial. She just knew she wanted those girls _off _Robin and to _stay off_.

Raven slid out of the booth and made her way over to Robin and the girls, her eyes locked on the group. She no longer noticed the calls of the other guys, not even the way people seemed to just make room for her. She reached the group and tapped one of the taller girls on the shoulder. The girl turned around with an annoyed face and said, "Who are _you?_"

Raven's eyes briefly flashed. "I'm Robin's_ date_ and your future _Queen_," she said and blasted them all away with her powers.

Robin gaped at Raven's assertiveness. He didn't know Raven did jealous… did she? He couldn't help the smile that mounted his lips as people began to notice who they were.

"So you want some whore to dance with you? I'll show you what dancing is," Raven almost growled.

"What?" Robin started to ask but was pulled by Raven to the center of the night club.

Raven pulled Robin into the thickest part of the club, the dance floor. What better way to keep girls off of him than to show that Robin was off-limits. The DJ switched the music to a new mix of "Hey Mama" by Black Eyed Peas.

_Hey Mama, this that shit that make ya groove, mama  
__Get on the floor and move your booty moma  
__We the blast masters blastin' up the jamma_

_REEEEEEEWIIIIIIIIIIIIIND!_

Raven instantly turned to Robin. The swerving beat had already put her hips to motion as she let her fingers glide over her curves. Robin looked at Raven in blushing in complete disbelief. The girl before him had something new in her eyes he'd _never_ seen before. Some bold kind of energy... _spicy _Raven. Noticing that Raven was getting heaps of attention from everyone in sight, Robin cleared his throat and decided to go with it when she motioned him to come closer with her fingers. She seemed to have set the beat as people bounced to her rhythm. The blaring music was nothing compared to the attention she was getting.

All of Raven's insecurities about her body or about the attention she was receiving no longer affected her. Now, her curves and natural magnetism were aiding her in getting her message across. And from the look of Robin's previous groupies and other interested females, her message had shot home. Raven even surprised Robin and herself by putting her arms over his shoulders and undulating her body against his chest. Her smirk felt permanent when his masked eyes widened. She didn't know where all this fire was coming from, but she heavily thanked the moons of Azarath that it seemed to flow with ease.

_Hey shorty, I know you wanna party  
__The way your body look it really make me feel naaauughty_

"Okay Princess," Robin said down into her ear. "Looks like you really wanna dance." Robin took her hand, spun her out and drew her up close to him, making a "Oooo!" escape the mouths of clubbers.

"So you know a few things," Raven said, sliding her back to him and dancing. She spoke to him over her now bare shoulder. "I'm just _shivering_ in awe."

Robin smirked. "Hide behind your sarcasm all you want," he said, keeping beat. He lowered his mouth to her ear, "Told ya it'd be fun."

"Shh… just dance."

Though Raven was facing away from him, Robin still noticed the little smile on Raven's lips. They continued to dance as the music's beats vibrated throughout the dance floor and up through everyone's body. Spinning around, Raven placed her hands on Robin's shoulders, and Robin moved his hands down to her corseted waist. They understood how the dancing was to be stepped and for a moment they actually smiled at each other. They were so in sync with each other, Raven couldn't help but giggle when they did a complicated move together. After that, the eye contact began, neither realizing the pounding music was becoming inaudible to them...

_I got a naught naughty style and a naughty naught crew...  
__But everything I do... I do just for you..._

Robin felt a distant, foreign feeling of contented happiness, his surprised heart reacted with a heavy beat. Instantly he blinked, making Raven snap out of it too.

"What?" he said surprised.

"What?" Raven said confused.

"What?" he said, now confused too.

"What, what?"

"You..."

"Why were you looking at me like that?"

"I didn't, I just—"

"I'm going to have a drink." Raven said quickly and made her way to the bar. People "Aww"ed and pouted seeing their new favorite couple break up.

Robin tried to compress the blush that rose to his face. Happy he was that the awkward moment had passed. Yet he felt the moment prior to that, and he _knew_ that Raven must have felt it too. Though Robin had experienced the thrill of just _having fun_ before, it was odd that it felt like it was the _first time_ he let his guard down and _felt happy_. What was that about? Surely such simple things couldn't be this profound because _they_ were together? Sighing he went after Raven.

Raven seated at the bar and put her hands on her wavy hair. She had experienced enough emotions for one day. Looking at her short outfit, heels, and night club surrounding, she thought '_This isn't me'_. And that moment on the dance floor, the expression of Robin's face... what was happening to her? What she need was to get back to the palace and do some serious meditation. She was feeling very unstable. Who knew what would happen-

"Hey Princess, you look damn sexy tonight!" A man came to sit with Raven. He looked unbalanced and his breath was thick with alcohol. "You look lonely, hows about we get the hell outta here." The man said, giving her a severely unattractive suggestive smile, his heavy hand falling on her thigh.

Quickly, Raven shoved his hand off her leg and stood up. She could feel her anger coming… some of the bar chairs had slightly started sizzling. "Get away from me…" she growled.

"Come on, baby," he said as matter-of-factly as a drunk person could say. "If it ain't me, who's it gonna be." As he stood, his balance faulted and he hurtled toward her.

Four chairs melted as Raven's eyes grew white. "_Bastard!"_ She punched him in his sweaty head but only succeeded in hurting herself. "Get Off—"

_CRACK!_

The man slumped to the floor and Robin stood above him. "Moron."

Raven looked up at Robin, realizing what he had done.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm getting out of here." Raven said and headed as swiftly as she could for the exit. When she got outside, she looked for the limo and remembered it was supposed to come around 2:15. It was probably not even after one yet. Looking around, she had no clue where to go but took her chances at direction and crossed the street. Her need to meditate grew more overwhelming with each moment that felt like chaos…

"Raven!" she heard Robin call. "Raven, wait!"

Raven stopped. "I'm going home—"

"_Raven, LOOK OUT!"_ Robin ran and dodged for Raven. They both landed on the opposite sidewalk with a roll, looking up to see a sketchy, dark truck pass by, the loud horn softening as it continued down the street.

Robin took himself off Raven and apologized for her now broken shoe. He noticed that all the nearby shop signs had melted off and a few doors were halfway broken. People passing by stared at the warped items in confusion. Robin looked back to Raven, still sitting on the sidewalk. Her eyes were shut.

"Maybe we had enough for today," he suggested. Clearly she was having an internal war with herself.

Raven nodded and stood up. "I don't know the way home," she said softly.

"It's alright, I do. Cyborg and I drove through this place several times."

Raven nodded. She looked like she was about to fall apart.

"I'll get us home, Raven," he said looking at her.

This time she looked at him. "Okay,"

Raven took off her broken and unbroken heels and waited for Robin to lead. When they rounded the corner, Robin gave her a strange look and looked away. He took her hand, and she again felt that annoying strange comfort. They continued on in silence.

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked without looking at her.

"Yes," Raven said. As long as he kept holding on to her hand.

"K," he said, and continued walking on down a different street. He cleared his throat before saying, "Hey.. Raven?"

"Hm?"

"You look great tonight."

Despite all the emotions and events the night brought on her, Raven felt herself blush. She honestly wanted to return the favor because he looked _amazing_ tonight. But wisely she forced herself not to. She knew if she did, there would be consequences that she would regret.

- x - x - x -

At 3:32 AM the doorbell rang throughout the palace. Beast Boy, Allikat and Cyborg awoke from in front of the theater TV, video games and junk food.

"GET THE DOOR!" Rochelle's cranky voice echoed from the second story.

A doorman opened the front doors and two tired teens trudged in.

"_Finally_," Raven breathed.

"_Bed_," Robin whined.

Rochelle came marching down in silk night clothes and green face mud. "Raven, Robin, Where have you two been! Pierre said he couldn't find either of you and the police were out—_RAVEN_."

Ignoring Rochelle, Raven was floating upstairs to her room. Cyborg, Allikat and Beast Boy had crept into the lobby to see the trouble.

"Come on, Queen Rochelle. It's been a rough day, let it go." Robin managed to say from his sleepy lips.

Cyborg's jaw dropped. Beast Boy's jaw dropped. Allikat's jaw dropped. Rochelle gaped. "Well excuse me, looks like someone is gaining respect for his fiancé."

Robin paused and shuddered, choosing to let that comment rot in the air. He began his journey up the grand stairs, noting his envy of Raven being able to just levitate up.

The three teens watched their prince and friend slowly go upstairs, occasionally tripping backwards from fatigue.

"At least they made it around 3," Cyborg said.

- x - x - x -

Morning light shown onto the palace as it was once again bustling quietly with activity.

Robin had barely opened his eyes before he was assaulted with bright light. Checking to make sure Raven was still asleep, he removed his mask and messaged his eyes. He paused and sat in his tiredness, watching the fluffy white carpet and hearing Raven's soft breaths. Grunting, he turned his vision to the nightstand which led to the sleek, cream-colored telephone. Feeling stirred, he grabbed the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, Alfred speaking."

"Hi Alfred."

"Robin! It's a pleasure to hear your voice. Would you like to speak to Master Wayne?"

"Yup."

"Hello?" came a deep and sturdy voice.

"Hello, _Batman_."

"Ah! Haha, Robin. How are you doing?"

"Guess." Robin said rigidly.

"Haha, I'm guessing you met Raven. How do you like her?"

"You crazy? She's insane!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. Really. And it's your fault for sending me here to get betrothed."

"I still think it's cute. I look forward to the wedding and showers."

"Very funny, Bruce."

"Well, Rob, you caught me at a bad time, I'll contact you later."

"I'm going to kill you."

"Take care, kid."

"Whatever." Robin placed the phone down on the hook and sighed. He closed his eyes and fell back on the pillows and opened his eyes to see a grumpy looking Raven staring down on him.

"So I'm insane," she said flatly.

"Uh, no, I mean—"

"Pft. Whatever." Raven threw her pillow on top of Robin and slammed the bathroom door behind her with her powers.

"Sheesh." Robin shuddered.

_"Robin! She's here! She's here!" _Beast Boy's voice echoed up the stairs and rang at the shut bedroom doors.

"What?" he mumbled and jumped to the door. "_What?_" he yelled down the stairs.

"She's in Silver Stone right now!" Beast Boy yelled.

"It's Starfire!" came Cyborg's voice.

"Starfire?" Robin practically set the stairs on fire.

Raven put her toothbrush down and wondered about all the yelling. "Who's _Starfire?_"

* * *

**I know,** some of you were hoping not-so-little Starfire would not make it to Silver Stone Island, but this story would _not_ be complete without her.  
Please leave a review!  
~IllyMjay


	7. I'm not mad

I'll just kick straight into the  
Disclaima! I don't own the Teen Titans. But I sincerely thank everyone who reviewed this story, which I do own, unlike the Teen Titans.

* * *

**Chapter 7 : I'm Not Mad  
Passion in the Palace**

* * *

A fully dressed half-demon walked down the spiral stairs of the palace. She looked at three boys cheesing their faces off while Queen Rochelle was babbling about someone she guessed to be the famous Starfire. Out of pure curiosity, Raven stood a little ways off listening to what the boys were anxious to hear.

"Okay people. Remember, she's from a completely different world and she doesn't really know much about Earth—"

"We know!" Cyborg and Beast Boy boomed. "When is she getting here?"

"In less than 5… Robin you have to get dressed." Rochelle took note of Robin in boxers. He needed no telling twice. Robin ran up the stairs and shut the door, opened the door and was fully ready for the day. Raven sighed.

**Ding Dong**

A doorman slowly opened the front doors.

"Remember," Rochelle warned. "Best behavior."

Lee came in to introduce the newcomer but was cut off by a flash of orange and purple and a high-pitched yelling of "_Robin!_"

A tall orange alien had wrapped her long arms around Robin's torso. "Oh Robin, it has been as if many centuries have gone by!"

Raven felt a weird sting when the alien squeezed Robin. So they know each other...? Raven slid her hood over her head as she examined this strange girl and her familiarity with everyone.

"Star!" a green tabby cat was pulling on Starfire's long purple boot.

"Beast Boy! Cyborg!" The alien engulfed the two teens in a bone cracking hug as well. It looked painful, but Beast Boy and Cyborg seemed happy to be crushed.

"Starfire," Rochelle spoke.

Starfire, as tall as Rochelle, turned to the queen and gave a low bow, her red hair almost touching the ground. "Queen Rochelle of Silver Stone Island, I am most grateful for your hospitality. May the Yargfors of Grabst'r Dor forever smile upon you and your people."

Rochelle smiled, "It is my pleasure Koriand'r. I'd like you to meet my niece and princess, Raven."

Raven shifted as big emerald eyes laid upon her. Starfire squealed and made her way to Raven. It was freaky. She was so tall compared to the small goth. It was like a giant coming over to cease her, and Raven could almost feel the eerie coldness as Starfire's shadow fell down upon her bare skin. Raven squinted her eyes when she looked to the alien's face that radiated happiness, sunshine, and everything sweet and bright.

"_Hel-lo_ Princess Raven!" Starfire chorused, throwing her hands together. She was moving so much her waist-long red hair seemed like a dragon's tail. "I have been waiting ages to meet you!"

Raven stared at Starfire's comically huge smile, her eyes shut with glee, waiting for Raven's response. Raven looked around at the others with encouraging smiles on their faces. What the hell was she supposed to say to this intergalactic hippie?

"Raven, be nice." Rochelle smiled through clenched teeth.

Raven, realizing that all this commotion was for nothing, glared at Starfire before speaking. "Riiight. Well this proved to be anticlimactic." Raven gave Rochelle a look and summoned her black energy, disappearing through the wall.

Starfire, surprised, stared at the spot where the Princess of Silver Stone had just been standing. "Is there.. something wrong with me?"

"Of course not, Starfire." Robin smiled and placed a hand on Star's shoulder.

"Yah," Beast Boy chimed. "She just needs to get used to you."

"But in the mean time..." Robin started, and Starfire began to tell the boys of her fascinating first-time encounter with the planet Earth.

- x - x - x -

The sun had started getting violent over Silver Stone as noon approached. Everyone had slipped to their own activities while their hunger slowly crept in.

A purple-haired tomboy quietly placed down her mop and soap bucket and crept to the rumbling theatre room. Peeking through the door she saw the screen display frightening flames and heard a curse, confirming that someone just epically failed. Allikat slowly walked to the massive couch to see Beast Boy pouting at the screen. He straightened himself when he saw the apologetic face Allikat wore.

"Something wrong?"

Allikat sat down next to the changeling. "Um, Beast Boy, I- I just wanna say sorry for ratting you out yesterday… and almost getting you neutered... Despite how much we fight I really did want to help! But there was nothing I could do…" Allikat twisted the bottom of her tank top.

Beast Boy paused for a moment. "Ah, it's okay. I deserved it anyway."

Allikat looked up in surprise. "Really?"

Beast Boy scratched his dark green hair. "Yeah. That probably wasn't the best way to go about making friends, huh?"

"Yeah seriously BB! What were you thinking?"

"I didn't mean to like, _see_ her! It just happened—"

Allikat slapped her multi-bracelet clad hand over Beast Boy's mouth. "Don't you _dare_ say anything like that in Robin's palace!"

Beast Boy rubbed his face. "Trust me, I know! I already got one royal member wanting me neutered. I don't want two!"

Allikat laughed. They both quieted down when they heard what sounded like Lee talking and walking past the doors.

"That was close."

"Ouais. One round before I head back?"

Beast Boy handed her a controller as she slumped down into the couch. "One KO'd maid, coming right up."

- x - x - x -

As Raven laid back and read on an upholstered bench in the 3rd floor hallway, she started to hear the voices of Robin and Starfire.

_"And over here there's lots of bedrooms. Huge ones. Even the workers can live in luxury."_

_"And, what is this?"_

_"That's the way to the roof. Raven usually meditates there."_

_"Robin, may we go there?"_

Raven placed the book down on her chest. After making her look like a fool in volleyball, after forcing her to go to a night club, after _taking residence in her bed,_ there was _no_ way that Robin would actually intrude on what small sanctity she had, and _with that alien_.

_"Um… sure, I guess."_

Raven was before Robin and Starfire in an instant. "Robin! Why don't you show Starfire something…" Raven felt small standing before the tall teen boy and the taller teen alien. They were both staring at her with shocked eyes.

"Raven… you're cloak.." Robin pointed back to the bench down the hall where her cloak was sliding off and to the floor.

Raven felt the chill of her absent security blanket and suddenly felt naked before the two wide-eyed teens. Unable to say anything more, she receded to her soul-self and swept down the hallway, snatching her cloak on the way.

"Your friend Raven is, very strange." Starfire said to Robin.

- x - x - x -

Everyone seemed to be occupied with something, Raven thought. Beast Boy was consumed in trying to beat Allikat in a videogame, Robin was touring Starfire through her palace, which she felt really uncomfortable with. Even Rochelle was out in the town somewhere. Though Raven was used to and even preferred being alone, a strange new air had her feeling on edge. She thought to maybe just read in the kitchen while Cyborg prepared food, but he too was nowhere to be found.

As she walked from a mini-library to one of the art rooms on the second floor, she heard Lee in one of the offices talking to someone on the phone.

_"Oh she's adorable! She's like a little orange angel plopped into Silver Stone... Yes! She just gobbles up everything I have to say!... Mmhm… And it's so nice to have someone who will _listen_ to what I'm telling them! She's like a welcoming sponge…. Oh God no… Raven is just the complete opposite."_

Raven narrowed her eyes. Even Lee was stricken with puppy love for this Starfire! No, Raven was nothing like her but what made Starfire so great?

After making a collection of angry oil paintings, Raven left the largest art room. She felt strangely lonely, usually somebody was with her or bugging her. But for some reason, today, being alone didn't make her happy. Perhaps walking through the orchards would clear her mind. The front doorman opened the entry door for her and Raven went outside.

Walking along the path that outlined the palace's sandy gray exterior, she felt better with Silver Stone's breeze gently flowing through her hair. She found a small peace gazing over the front terrace, green and lush below the brilliant blue sky.

A yellow Frisbee soared over the grass, startling her. A green Labrador Retriever chased after the Frisbee and caught it.

_"Awesome Beast Boy!"_

_"A glorious catch Beast Boy!"_

The boy wonder ran over to Beast Boy with Starfire gliding right behind him. Giggles could be heard. Raven gritted her teeth and growled, walking back in the opposite direction. '_Azarath… Metrion… Fuck me.'_

_- x - x - x -_

Later, Raven started to get hungry. She wondered when lunch would be served. She then realized that _all day_ the palace seemed quiet. Too quiet. She glanced at the 2nd and 3rd level balconies but only saw Rochelle drinking a smoothie and Lee reviewing events. She checked the Show kitchen and the main kitchen, but the chefs were just cleaning up. She checked the dining rooms, ball room and theater room- nobody. Libraries, gym, nothing. Finally, Raven floated to the bedroom balcony and looked down to see Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy and even Allikat sharing a picnic in the back. Raven's jaw dropped.

_"… And then he said, 'The zornark was over half a blornarg long!'_"

Everyone burst into laughter, and that just did it for Raven.

Cyborg had wiped a tear from his human eye and his stomach cooled down from the clench of laughter. He continued to eat his Manwhich. Then his robotic ear picked up something that sounded like '_Azarath Metrion Zinthos_!' and then a shower hurtled out the top balcony doors and crashed into the pool, deflating Beast Boy's rubber duckie.

"Uh…" Cyborg glanced around his friends who were smiling and carrying on with their picnic.

"Something wrong Cyborg?" Robin asked.

"Did you not hear or see that?"

"Yeah, I think everyone got the joke." Robin laughed again and handed Starfire two chicken sandwiches.

"Uh… I'll be right back."

The teens watched Cyborg run inside but shrugged and continued with their lunch.

- x -

Before Cyborg entered the main kitchen, he could hear Raven mumbling about something…

"Raven?"

Raven dropped her batter of four cups of flour, three cups or sugar, two cups of salt and twelve eggs. "Cyborg?"

Cyborg entered the kitchen. "…Uh, what are you making?"

"I _was_ making waffles." Raven growled and levitated her spatula to the sink.

"Want me to help?" Cyborg offered.

"Sure." Raven said and sat by the island countertop. She propped her elbow up and placed her chin in her hand and sighed.

Cyborg emptied the supposed-to-be waffle batter and started new. "So… did ya have a little fight with the shower?"

Raven looked up. "You saw that?"

"It wasn't anything too noticeable, but with all this hi-tech hardware built into me, I can pick up on flying showers that others can't."

Raven said nothing.

"So what's bothering you?"

Raven sighed. What was bothering her? That everyone was MIA today? It had never bothered her to be left alone before. She preferred it after all, right? No. She was doing fine, feeling at home, possibly where she belonged. And now things were off because that _Starfire_ came gliding into _her_ palace. This was Raven's home, _Raven_ was the princess here. Worse, everyone welcomed her with open arms, love-struck puppies they were. Even Robin… who seemed to know her more than anyone else. How did they come to know each other? Why was Starfire glued to his side? To his arm? Did she not understand that he was to be married? Why did Robin allow her to be so clingy to him? Did he like it? Does he like her...? At this rate, the crown would be on Starfire's head while Raven sat cold in the library. And Robin, as long as he was next to Starfire he would let it all happen.

"Stupid Robin…" Raven grumbled.

"What?" Cyborg said.

"I mean, what's the deal with Starfire? Why is _she_ so special?"

"Well… for starters, she's not from around here."

"Neither am I."

"Ya, but she's still learning. She may be a bit naïve and at times seem helpless, hopeless even, but when she gets those starbolts going…" Cyborg poured the batter into the waffle maker. "She is pretty smart though. She's just happy to be among friends."

"She's _too_ happy."

"She's probably covering up for the loss of her sister."

"What?"

"She's the princess of her home planet which is under attack, so she has to stay here for a while. Her sister went to go fight but never came back."

Raven thought about it. "Hmph."

"So, is Starfire the only thing that's bugging you?"

Raven blushed and slid her palm down her face. "Yes. It's pointless to worry about anything else."

Cyborg raised a brow. "Well Raven," He placed down a large plate of two humongous fluffy and crisp waffles topped with vanilla ice-cream and chocolate syrup and a cherry. "Seems like you need to get out."

Raven wiped the drool from her mouth. "-What?"

"Get out. See Silver Stone. Go down town. I think you'll like it."

"Hm. I think I will." Raven chowed down on the waffles. "Thanks Cyborg- these are- really great." She said between chews.

"No problem." He smiled, happy to have done something good. "I'll go tell Pierre that you wanna head out for a while."

"MmHm- thanks."

- x - x - x -

Downtown Silver Stone was always busy, no matter the day of the week. Schools were out, teens hung out, beautiful women were shopping, the breeze would blow up on girls' miniskirts… what more could Speedy ask for? Today was a good day, a good day indeed.

On the sidewalk eating tables of a very good pizza shop, a teen with short golden-brown hair and eyes hidden by a mask much like Robin's kicked back and enjoyed the day—or more the ladies.

"Hey girl, you're lookin _fine!_ How's about a number for Speedy?" He called as an Indian lady passed by trying desperately hard not to kick him in the balls. Speedy just cracked up laughing.

"Ladies!" He stopped two passing teen females. "May I suggest getting some ice because I'll set your asses on fiyah!"

"The Fuck?"

"Get lost!"

The girls walked around him. "No need to be like that! There's enough Speedy for everyone to have seconds!" Speedy laughed out loud. He sat back down and sipped his Sobe. But then out of nowhere—

"_Wow…_"

Speedy laid eyes on a gorgeous, dark, sexy 18 year old princess.

"_Holy Pimp-nipples…_"

Instantly he was right beside her making her feel beautiful. "Excuse me Princess, but you are _the finest_ woman I have ever laid eyes upon, and trust me; I've laid eyes on _a lot_ of women."

Raven stopped and glared at the obtrusive teen, who was actually kind of cute. He looked a lot like Robin. But like everyone else, she tried to avoid him.

"Flattered. Good-bye."

Speedy quickly stopped in front of her. "Wait Princess, just tell me your name."

"Shouldn't you already know my name?"

"I just wanna hear it from your wonderful voice."

Raven eyed him. "Never."

"Aw, come on-"

_"No, its mine, Max!"_

_"Leave me alone, Tyler, I found it first!"_

Speedy froze and looked back at the pizza place and saw two kids pulling on his bow and arrows that he regretfully left behind. "My bow!" He ran back and tried desperately hard to pry the two off. The kids managed to crawl around and on top of him, still fighting for the bow. One of the kids put his small foot in Speedy's mouth to wrestle the bow from him and the other kid.

"GAK! C'mon Kid!"

Raven burst into genuine laughter, causing pinwheels of black energy to spin around her. "Looks like little Max and Tyler got the best of you Mr. Smooth."

"Come on kids, get off!" Speedy pulled his bow and the boys pulled harder. Then in the blink of an eye the kids were on the ground rubbing their heads.

"Fine, take it!" They yelled in unison.

Speedy smiled in triumph but almost fell to his knees when he saw his bow was broken.

Raven walked to Speedy. "What's wrong with it?"

"They broke it." He said sadly.

"So. What's so special about it?"

"It's my bow. I take it everywhere, it's what makes me _me_."

"And let me guess, you never leave your bow and arrows behind, just like you never take your stupid mask off."

"No, actually I can do that." Speedy took off his mask so Raven could see his eyes. "See."

Raven stopped when she saw the beautiful hazel color of Speedy's eyes. Instantly it made her wonder what Robin's eyes looked like, since he was always hiding behind them, since she could never really _see_ what he saw. This wonder would now roam in her head whenever she saw him until Robin would reveal his secret behind his mask.

"Like what you see?" Speedy smirked.

"Keep dreaming."

"Hm.." Speedy examined his bow. "Actually- this just- hast to be- stringed." He struggled to pull the loop on the top of his bow, but it was too tight.

"Lemme see." Raven said.

Speedy withheld the bow from the goth at first but was surprised to see his bow turn black and the string loop around the top effortlessly.

"Wow, you fixed it!"

"I'm Princess, aren't I?"

Speedy held out his hand. "I'm Speedy."

"Raven." She shook his hand.

Speedy smiled. "Dear Princess Raven," he bowed. "I am most grateful for you fixing my beloved bow. From this day forward I would be honored to serve thy princess and stand by her side as a friend and fighter." He said whole-heartedly.

"Wow. Really?" Raven said, rather moved by his overly dramatic proclamation of sprouting friendship to her.

"Yep." He smiled.

"Cool. Now show me around."

"Yes, your Highness." He cheesed as they stopped at a stoplight.

"Thanks."

"You know, you're really hot. Wanna go out?"

"Just think that thought again and I'll send you to another dimension."

- x - x - x -

After playing Twister with Cyborg, BB and Allikat, Starfire persisted Robin take her to the roof. Robin felt hesitant about it; the roof was Raven's favorite place where she reflected and meditated. He knew if he did this, he would have some strange feeling of regret, but, Starfire wanted to see, and there was so much that he'd been wanting to show her.

"So this is the place Raven finds most favorable." Starfire said softly.

"Yeah…" Robin said, already feeling guilty. He thought back to the pool volleyball and remembering how much fun everyone was having, including Raven. He thought what it would have been like if Starfire was there, playing in the pool too. They'd have _tons_ of fun, that was for sure. But with Raven being so cold to Starfire, it would be rather awkward. Robin felt a strange conflict when thinking about Raven, and thinking about Starfire who held onto his arm beside him.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Starfire looked deeply into Robin's masked eyes.

Robin stumbled when he noticed how deeply Starfire was looking at him. He forgot that when he was on Tamaran with Batman and company, Starfire would look at him like that whenever he zoned out.

"What troubles you, Robin? I see conflict in your face."

"It's nothing Starfire... Don't worry about it." Because boy, would she worry.

"Robin, you are my friend. If there is a problem, I wish for you to confide in me." She said gently and pulled Robin to her chest.

Startled, Robin blushed and wriggled in discomfort. "Um, Starfire, I'm fine, really." He said, freeing himself from her embrace and giving her a tired, but reassuring smile. "Are you hungry?"

"No. I wish to see more of the palace if you don't mind."

"Of course, Starfire."

The two headed back inside the palace.

- x - x - x -

"Wow, I have to hand it to you Princess, you got nice digs." Speedy said on the brick stairs looking up at the palace entrance.

"I hate it, yet I'm learning to like it." Raven slipped the door open and crept inside, looking every way for Rochelle.

"Is the coast clear?" Speedy smiled.

"Yep."

Perrie came out from a hall and stopped to welcome Raven and offered her some tea.

"No thanks, Perrie."

Speedy grinned. "Hey, can you get me giant slice of pepperoni pizza? And a super-size Mountain Dew?"

Raven scowled. "Come Speedy, she's not a Pizza Hut worker."

"A piece of chocolate at least?'

"No, come on."

"A mint?"

"Shut up, boy and let's _go_."

Raven and Speedy found the voices of Robin and Starfire on the second floor. Quickly they scurried behind an indoor flower bush and waited for the teens to near.

"This place is a lot bigger when you're hiding." Raven noted, glancing at the high, ornately vaulted ceiling.

Soon Robin and Starfire came into view. Starfire was walking close to Robin again.

"So that's the cutie?" Speedy grinned at Starfire.

"_Cutie_? She's the _enemy_!"

"Hey, now Raven, just look at her. She's hot."

Raven grabbed his collar and whispered fiercely. "She is NOT HOT. _Pull_ your mind together!"

"Okay, Princess…. Remind me again why she is a threat?"

"She came prancing in here hugging on the prince, she must want my place as princess and I have to guard my mother's throne from twats like her."

"Uh… don't you think you're taking this a little too far? I mean, maybe you're just a little jealous. If I were a girl and some hot chick started rubbing on my fiancé I'd probably be a little jealous too."

Raven fought back the urge to slice her new friend's neck in half. Her eyes glowed white as she turned on the short-haired teen. "ROY. HARPER. I am NOT jealous. Robin is a foolish, idiotic jerk that wears a clown mask and occasionally green spandex. There is _no way_ in **hell** I would _ever_ be jealous over him."

"Well, Gorgeous, you might not want to look ahead then," Speedy said observing the wonder boy and Tameranian walking closely together down the hall, and Robin playfully pushing Starfire to the side.

_"Robin, this palace is wonderful! I'm glad I can stay here with you and the others."_

_"Yeah, me too, Star."_

Starfire giggled.

"Aw, man, how does Robin _do_ this girl thing?" Speedy scratched his head in envy. "…Raven?"

Raven's eyes looked like they would spill over with white. _'Raven, why the hell are you flipping out over the two of them FLIRTING IN MY PALACE?!' _She cursed all her emotions to stand still before something _really_ bad happened. Taking a very deep breath, she said to Speedy, "This has to end now." Raven turned to black energy and slid to the other side of the plants.

"Wha-" Speedy fell backwards. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Keep Robin busy. And try to get Starfire away from him." And Raven disappeared through the wall.

"Uh…" Speedy tried to think of something to do, his foot a fidgeting frenzy. "Um," he crouched up, and with one knee on the ground, he snatched an arrow and shot it down the hall.

"What was that?" Starfire exclaimed. "Is it another '_frizz_-bee'? We must retrieve it and begin the game!" Starfire giggled and flew down the hall to find the arrow before Robin could protest.

"Starfire it's not—…_Speedy?"_ Robin was surprised to see Speedy standing before him in the hall with his bow in hand. He hadn't seen Speedy in over a year and a half.

"Uh… _Heeey_…" Speedy said smoothly.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in the palace?" Robin questioned, trying to ignore the commotion that Starfire was causing down the hall.

"Just takin' some pictures… thought I'd give myself a little tour…" Speedy said coolly.

"Speedy, you don't even have a camera."

"Right. Nice talking to ya Rich, I'm gonna go check out the statues.." Speedy dashed down the stairs and ran to find Raven.

- x -

"And remember, if it doesn't sparkle, it doesn't shine! And if it doesn't shine, it's not royalty!" Lee twinkled at an aggravated Allikat. "Remember this, and you're cleaning will be to the satisfaction of a true Silver Stonian Queen or King."

"Ugh, _whatever_." She cried.

_"Raven!"_

"Speedy?" Allikat wasn't sure if she heard the right voice.

"What's that you say, Josie?"

"Quit calling me Josie dammit!"

_"Raven!" _Speedy's voice yelled again.

"Who is that?" Lee puffed.

"Okay, lesson's over, lecture understood. Bye." Allikat took off in the direction of Speedy's voice.

"What the hell?" Lee scratched his wavy brown hair. "Security?"

- x -

Raven crept along the walls of the first floor, listening and deciphering who was talking, and where they were. She needed to get Starfire alone and 'talk' to her. All this unnecessary anxiety would be set straight soon. She could hear Speedy yelling out trying to find her, making her roll her eyes in agitation. She crept backwards down a dark hall, but almost shattered the whole base floor with her powers when she hit a person.

"Ow!" Allikat rubbed her forehead. "Raven? What are you doing?"

"Allikat! I'm looking for Starfire. What are _you_ doing?" Raven noticed the strange expression Allikat wore as she hid in this small, dark hallway. That face was different than any time she was hiding from Rochelle.

"I'm looking for Speedy."

"You know Speedy?"

"Yah, we go... pretty far back."

"He's looking for me."

"Yeah, I think the whole palace knows now. He's gonna get kicked out."

"Okay here's the deal. You get Speedy, shut him up, and _don't _let him find me."

"Okay."

"And if you see Robin, tell him Rochelle needs him... in the greenhouse."

"But Rochelle's in her office…"

"I know but I need him to be _away_."

"Okay... what do you want with Starfire? You've been acting strange today."

"Allikat, please. Don't let anyone know."

"Alright alright Raven, I'm on it." Allikat took off in search of Speedy and Raven went through the ceiling, catching Starfire outside the main kitchen.

"Hello Starfire." Raven said to the awkwardly standing Tamaranian.

"Um, hello friend Raven." Starfire said, slightly confused.

Raven narrowed her eyes at the word 'friend'. "Come Starfire. We have to talk."

"Okay…" The two exited into the backyard gardens.

Starfire twisted her fingers anxiously. Did she do something wrong?

* * *

**x_x  
Life lesson #1 - **Don't piss Raven off, unless you have the fire to meet her head on!  
Please leave a Review!  
~IllyMjay


	8. I Hate You

**Welcome Everyone!** I bring you Chapter 8, this chapter went through hell to finally become published lol. Thank you so, so much to everyone who left a review! The juice in this story is getting thicker!  
~~Also, I don't know if its confusing for anyone, but there are two major kitchens. The show kitchen on the base/first level that's used by celebrities and whatnot, and the main kitchen on the 2nd level, which is where the teens normally hang out. Both have huge glass doors that lead out back, which they tend to use more than other entrances to the backyards.

Disclaimer: I own various original characters and this story, but the Teen Titans I do not.

* * *

**Chapter 8 : I Hate You  
Passion in the Palace**

* * *

The sun blazed angrily over the palace's back terrain, halting any movement of the happy-go-lucky breezes. The patio door of the show kitchen slid open to a cracking _"SHHAAT!"_ and the red-haired alien backed out with a furious Azarathian hot on her toes.

"Friend Raven, Have I done something to upset you?" Starfire's voice was raising in fear.

"No, you've done something to PISS ME OFF." Raven's hands started glowing to her magic, her eyes spilled white.

"But- I do not understand! What have I done?"

Standing in a bold, dominant stance, Raven let her hands fall to her sides as she breathed in deeply in attempt to become calm and rational.

"Why are you here, Starfire?"

"Be-because my planet is under attack, and I haven't anywhere else to go."

"And why do you think _I'm_ here?"

"I... do not know."

"I'm here to protect my mother's throne from thieving aliens like you!" Raven's hands intensified to her dangerous magic once more.

Starfire raised her hands and shoulders in defense. "But Raven! I wish not to steal anything from you! And, are you not an alien, like myself?"

Raven lowered her hands and groaned at the obvious. It was true, they were both similar being foreign to the planet Earth, but that didn't give Raven any reason to like her. Starfire was still untrusted, still on Raven's turf, and still way too happy.

Starfire relaxed her shoulders but suddenly tensed again.

"If you do ANYTHING to screw up the way this place is running I _swear_ I'll take care of you myself!" And with that, Raven stormed inside in search of Queen Rochelle, slamming the main kitchen door behind her and shattering it.

Starfire, trembling in dejection, drifted past the rolling glass and indoors to the show kitchen on the base floor, tears stinging in her eyes.

- x - x - x -

"Raven? Raven!" Speedy called out like a lost tourist. Workers passed by, glaring at him for his noisy disrespect. "What?" Speedy shrugged his shoulders. "Has anyone seen the Princess?"

"Speedy?" came a lightly raspy, feminine voice. Speedy turned around to see a 19 year old girl approaching him. Her short purple hair was teased around her head, her messy bangs almost hiding her icy blue eyes. Her snake bitten lips held a cautious half smile, but as soon as he spoke they pressed into an angry frown.

"Allikat," he called, surprised to see her actually in the palace, rightfully walking about, and—glancing at the mop in her hand, and iPod hooked to her hip—actually_ working_. "You really went through with it."

"Well duh. No thanks to you. You think I was gonna stay at the Pizza Joint forever? Got a new place now."

"No, I just... wow." Speedy stood staring at Allikat. It wasn't just the palace work. She had come so far since she left.

Allikat sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "Speedy, why don't I just show you the way out—"

"Oh, have you seen Raven?"

"Um..." Allikat gripped her mop and froze, remembering Raven's strange behavior and direct orders to keep quiet.

Just as Speedy narrowed his eyes in suspicion, Robin ran up, feeling confused and frustrated. "Have you guys..." Robin paused on Speedy, less than happy to see him. "...seen... Starfire or Raven?"

"I don't know, I was just asking Alli where Raven was." Speedy crossed his arms across his chest, his left foot over his right.

The two masked teens turned their gaze to the purple haired tomboy. "Well?" they asked in unison.

"Uhhm." she started, nervously. "Well she, a, uh.. then.. Rochelle.. Queen... Queen Rochelle needs you in the greenhouse!" she finally blurted.

Robin raised a brow.

Speedy side-spoke to Robin, pointing his thumb at Allikat. "She always does this when she's lying. Got her in trouble with the last boss."

Robin sighed and half smiled. "Come on Allikat, I know she probably told you to cover her up, but she's up to something. You know it. Just tell me where she is and I'll take care of it from there."

Robin was now standing in front of her. Allikat had to look up to her prince's face. Sighing, she realized that she couldn't just lie to Robin. He was too much of a good person and amazing friend, and he emulated something regal that any lie of hers would just dissolve under. "She left for the back terrace," she said defeatedly. "She was looking for Starfire. A couple of minutes later I heard shouting outside, and then there was nothing but terrified gardeners and broken glass on the ground."

"Oh boy," Robin said, putting the pieces together. He took off down the hall for the back terrace.

Allikat looked at Speedy leaning coolly against the wall. "Aren't you gonna go too..?"

"Pfft. Hell no. The way she was flipping out, I wouldn't follow her if I was Batman."

"Oh."

"Chyeah."

There was a moment of weird silence, where only the sound of Mindless Self Indulgence could be heard from Allikat's headphones. She side glanced at Speedy's boots and up to his face, catching a few faded freckles. Speedy glanced at Allikat, pausing on her shimmering blue eyes. Fidgeting and sighing in agitation, Allikat tucked her mop between a leafy plant and a massive column near the wall. "Wanna play Tekken?"

"I'll own you." Speedy stated as they raced to the theater.

- x - x - x -

Starfire slid the base floor doors open and drifted into the show kitchen, gently closing them when she was inside. Fortunately, there were no famous chefs cooking today. Slowly and sadly, she sat up on the black and white marble counters and drew her knees up to her chest. Sighing, her big emerald eyes fell to the floor in despair.

A scratch sounded at the kitchen entrance to the hallway. A tiny green kitten entered and pranced up on the counter with Starfire. With huge shining eyes, it meowed in a quiet playful voice. Starfire half-smiled and reverted to her sadness, sighing once more to the floor.

Beast Boy warped to human form and sat next to Starfire, dangling his legs over the counter. "Hey Star, why the long face?" He asked playfully, though his eyes held concern and worry.

Starfire looked up and attempted to divert his concern. "It is nothing," she said, failing at a tried smile.

"Starfire, you're in the base kitchen sitting alone in the dark, staring at the floor. Something's definitely wrong."

Starfire sighed and gave in. "I do not understand. Whenever I try to befriend Princess Raven she becomes angry. And now she believes that I intend to steal her throne. It is not possible to be her friend," she sniffed and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Starfire," Beat Boy chirped. "She's not impossible to befriend. She's just a little more on the dark side. It takes a while for her to warm up, that's all."

"She almost used her magic to injure me, or worse." Starfire stated lowly.

Beast Boy sat back to think for several heartbeats, and then jumped to a bright idea. "Star! I got it! If you want her to crack faster, you have to find her weaknesses!"

Starfire looked up. "Weaknesses?"

"Yeah, like what she really likes and can't resist."

Starfire thought quietly. "Okay," she said with a small but bright smile. "I will not give up!"

- x - x - x -

Rochelle sipped her white cocoa coffee as she twirled the line of the phone.

"I'm sure he took the necklace, and I know how important the necklace must be. But come on, he's a hormone-raged teen. What's his name, Zeke? He can't be _that_ hard to track down. There's a ton of century-old necklaces that the museum owner can use, I mean really. Is this really what's taking up my time right now?"

Rochelle twirled in her office chair and almost choked on her coffee when she saw how infuriated her half-demon niece was. "What the hell Raven," Rochelle hung up the phone.

"First," Raven growled, bearing clenched teeth and shaking fists. "_First_, I leave my perfectly fine life to become Princess. THEN, I'm surprised-engaged to an ass. And NOW, _now_, you expect me to put up with and share my home with an ignorant alien? _Who_ do you think I AM?" Sweat began to trickle down Raven's forehead and objects in the office where becoming smokey to her black aura.

Queen Rochelle rose. Her intense chocolate eyes glared into Raven's angry ones. "Its not a matter of who I think you are, or how angry you are. You ARE the Princess of this country and you'd better start acting like it. When you become crowned Queen, you'll see there's a shitload of strange things you have to deal with and overcome, and in the future you'll wonder why you ever thought of throwing a tantrum over this."

"But can't we just, get _rid_ of her?"

"No. The Tameran stays. And she's gonna be here for a long while so you might as well get used to her." Rochelle fanned Raven out the door. "Besides, you might grow very close to her." And she locked the door shut.

Raven stood staring at the dark, hand-carved wooden door inches from her face. _Dammit!_ Rochelle could be harsh. Grumbling, Raven shoved her fist in her baggy jean pockets and trudged down the hallway. Oh how she wanted a nice cup of herbal tea to relax her tense throat and body. But dang, it takes forever to boil the tea and water to make it just—

"Herbal tea, for the Princess of Silver Stone?" The high pitched voice of a _particular_ individual offered.

Raven stopped with narrowed eyes glued on the smiling Tameran, but her nostrils caught scent of the hot tea steam, making her eyes widen in crave.

"Please!" Starfire persisted kindly and hopefully. "Chamomile tea with minimal sugar, a few drops of milk and bits of parsley, adding to the flavor?"

Raven breathed in and out to keep from accepting the obviously well prepared and chosen tea. She kept her fists in her pockets and walked on. "No. _Thanks_." she said sternly.

Starfire floated in front of her and put the gold-embroidered tea cup to Raven's lips. "Please, taste!"

It was too late for Raven to enforce her objection. The herbal liquid had already flowed past her parted lips, and had simmered with a delicious hot sensation over her taste buds. She could feel the hot, seasoned torrent settling in her now extremely ravenous stomach.

Raven licked her lips.

"Does it satisfy you?" Starfire asked eagerly.

No one could begin to believe how hard it was for Raven to lie and simply say No. But the taste, the quality, the temperature! How could it all be so perfect? If she were to say 'no' she would not only deny her taste buds of the liquid treasure, she would also be teasing them, punishing them, _betraying_ them from the delicious sweetness Starfire was so eagerly offering.

Drawing in her breath, Raven tried her best to hide any trace of a tone that would suggest friendliness toward Starfire. "Its.. delicious. Thanks." she said, taking her much deserved tea. And with that, she disappeared through the ceiling.

When Raven disappeared, Starfire carefully placed down the tea tray. Hugging herself and twirling in a circle, she let out a joyful squeal of "Yess!" and wrapped herself in her own happiness. "Friendship is on the way!"

- x - x - x -

Beast Boy blinked twice, staring at Allikat's 12-meat after-lunch-before dinner sandwich. His insides shivered in disgust at the Dead-Innocent-Animal-Lover's dish. Glaring, he took one bite of his own vanilla yogurt as Speedy inspected the abomination.

"Not bad, Alli." Speedy said, circling the dish on the table. "All its missing is some hot sauce."

"Hot sauce? Screw off Speedy who said I was makin it for you."

"Old habits die hard I guess." Speedy winked at Allikat. She rolled her eyes.

Speedy shrugged and sipped on his orange-carrot Sobe. He glanced at Beast Boy, sitting across the island counter from him, shoving his spoon in his vanilla yogurt. "What do you think, Beast Boy?"

"..all it needs is to be trashed," Beast Boy murmured.

"Actually, all it needs is hot sauce."

"What the hell! Screw you too Cyborg I'm not making it for you either!" Allikat fumed as Cyborg strolled in, sticking his two cents in.

"Calm down woman I got my own dish to make."

"May I watch you prepare this dish?" Starfire floated in her awkward, happy way behind Cyborg.

"Yeah sure, as long as you don't try killing it with mustard again."

"How do you kill food, if it is already dead?" she questioned, hopping up on the island counter. Beast Boy noticed her melancholy had vanished.

"Hey Star, you look a lot happier. Did you get to talk to Raven?" Beast Boy asked.

Cyborg, Allikat and Speedy froze, looking expectantly at her, remembering the fight at noon.

Starfire just gladly kicked her feet back and forth over the counter, eyes shut with glee. "I did as you advised, and discovered her weakness! I saw a note here in the kitchen, on the.. _BILL_ board. That said, 'Raven's Ultimate Tea'. The short and kind maid Perrie allowed me to make the tea and I delivered it to Raven. She could not resist!"

The three watched Starfire squirm in happiness and all sighed in relief. It was only a little bit of thawing the ice, but it was a start nonetheless.

"That's great Star," Beast Boy chimed.

- x -

Robin felt his stomach growl as he checked the master bedroom for the fourth time. Every palace worker he asked either fearfully refused to discuss the "incident", reassured him that both girls had calmed down, or simply didn't know about anything. And when he asked Queen Rochelle if she knew anything about what happened with Raven and Starfire, she replied, "They are spending quality Princess to Princess time together." Walking through the palace, he was ready to just say "screw it", until he overheard Starfire's joyful narration of warming friendship as he neared the main kitchen.

Robin entered the kitchen to see his friends, plus Speedy hanging out on the island counter.

Starfire was the first to notice him. She flew over and took his hand, pulling him toward the stove where Cyborg was cooking. "Robin! You must observe Friend Cyborg cook Jumbo!"

"Don't you mean 'Gumbo' Star?" Robin asked, noticing the decently large pot.

"I'm telling you," Speedy spoke, leaning back in his stool, feet propped up on the counter. "That gumbo needs hot sauce."

"Get your feet off the counter," Robin commanded. Allikat raised an eyebrow and smirked at Speedy.

"You hungry, Mr. Silver Stone?" Cyborg enticed Robin's senses by wafting the gumbo steam in his direction.

"Uh yeah actually." Cyborg handed Robin a large bowl of soup. Robin walked over and sat between Allikat and Beast Boy. He glanced at Allikat's half-eaten 12-meat sandwich to his left, and BB's mostly eaten vanilla yogurt to his right, and at Speedy sipping his Sobe across from Beast Boy. He only noticed he was glaring at Speedy when Beast Boy nudged him in the arm.

"Dude. For once Cyborg makes vegetarian soup, Eat up or I'll do it for you!"

"It's vegetarian on accident!" Cyborg defended himself.

Robin nodded and lapped up his gumbo. He took the bowl to the sink, washed it and headed for the door.

"Leaving already?" Allikat asked.

"Yeah. if things are as decent as I hear, then I'm wondering why Raven's not here with everyone."

Cyborg looked at Starfire, who stood dumbly between Robin and himself, and back to Robin. "Yeah... So, you're gonna go find her and bring her back to hang with?"

"I don't know," Robin scratched his elbow. With her strange behavior, Raven wasn't just off on her own. She was isolating herself. "I doubt she'd do anything I ask. Well, catch you guys later," Robin turned to leave.

"See ya, Rich," Speedy said with a half-smile.

Robin paused mid-step to glare at Speedy, said nothing, and continued out the door.

- x - x - x -

After taking a thought-stimulating shower, Robin slipped on some dark green pj slacks and a slim black Tshirt. Barefoot, he slipped down the hallway. Everything was quiet on the third level, just the comforting bustle of workers, papers shifting, soft murmuring, the occasional laugh. The palace was really starting to grow on Robin, and to him, it wasn't just the royal palace of Silver Stone Island, this place was now his precious home.

Robin stopped a few steps from the open doorway that lead to the rooftop. The door was still ajar, he knew that Raven was up on the rooftop meditating. A strange feeling tingled over him and danced in his chest. Though the dim stairway plus some however-many feet lay between the two, Robin could feel something about her faint presence, and it tugged gently at his soul. Robin took a breath, and gave in to the tugging.

When Robin got to the rooftop, he was greeted by softer winds and a blue, oranging sky. By the far edge of the roof in front of him, he saw Raven gazing over the palace land, her purple hair flowing along her neck. With a hand in each pocket, he went over to the Princess.

Raven felt a presence behind her, and when she looked to her side she saw Robin standing beside her, in comfy nightgown pants and a black tee. "May I join you?" he asked, and after a few seconds, she tilted her head in mild acceptance.

"...So, you're not meditating..." Robin spoke.

"Can't a girl just watch the sun set?" Raven asked softly, but the irritation was there. Robin could see it in the way her fingers curled slightly tight over her knee.

Robin noted the sun was still a little ways off the horizon, sky blue still present around its halo. "Well, you've got a long while to wait. I bet it'll be beautiful though."

A dark humor donned on Raven's face. What made this idiot so open and free to talk to whomever he wanted? He could have obviously just grabbed some orange Tang and crashed on the master bed, striking it up with his Tamaran whore for that matter, to later get up and play 'stank ball' with the others. But, he was here. Sitting on the roof with non-friendly her, attempting to simply talk with solitary her. It's something even she had to curiously admire, from somewhere way far down in her heart.

"You know," Robin volunteered. "The sky looks different from how it did on my side of the states."

Raven smiled. "Where I'm from, we have three moons, and you can always see at least two of them floating around in broad daylight."

Robin pondered what it would be like to have two huge full moons floating around in big puffy clouds, or thin cirro-stratus clouds, that would be better. Grinning, he put his hands behind his head and flopped on his back.

Raven glared at him. "What are you doing."

"Don't tell me you never watched the clouds before."

"Of course I've watched the clouds before, I try to meditate every day."

"Well tell me what they look like."

"They don't look like anything, their clouds!"

Robin rolled his eyes under his mask and pulled Raven's shoulders down so she was next to him and on her back like he was. "There." he pointed to a fat long cumulus cloud. "What does that one look like."

Raven groaned. The first thing that came to her mind was that it looked like a long log of shit that would result when Mister wouldn't take his laxatives right. "It looks like..." she cleared the image and searched her memories. "It looks like one of Cyborg's manwhiches."

"Heh, ya it does." Robin smiled. Robin caught a drifting blocky one. "That one looks like a hummer, it's just missing a back wheel."

Raven narrowed her eyes, concentrating on how it could be, but then smiled once she saw the resemblance. She pointed to a cloud that had lots of circular parts to it. "That one looks like Rochelle when she finds another damaged part of the palace."

Robin laughed out loud. He could see the popping eyes, the stretched rounded face trying to accommodate the wide open mouth and dropped jaw. Smiling, he kept silent. He was enjoying Raven's take on the clouds.

Raven wobbled her knees and picked out another one. It resembled an action figure with an exaggerated stretched out leg. "That one looks like Jinx about to kick my ass in combat."

"Who's Jinx?"

Raven's faint smile melted. "Nobody."

Robin looked at her for a few beats and snorted. He decided to let it go, for now. There was someone important to her back home after all.

Robin then caught sight of a uniquely shaped cloud. It looked like a woman in a long dress, the dress becoming part of the parade of clouds that followed it. He concentrated on what he made out to be the head, and decided that it looked like Raven. It was almost perfect, from the cut of her hair to her large eyes, to her big but cute forehead. Robin smiled.

Raven fixated on the same cloud and applied her interpretation. "That one... looks like a bride in her wedding dress. If that part wasn't so puffy it'd look like she was carrying a dead chicken."

"I think she looks like you."

Raven sat up and stared at him. She looked back at the cloud, and sure enough it looked like her in a big wedding dress, holding a dead quasi-chicken. She looked back at Robin and then stared into the horizon. Suddenly she felt unsure and cold, even though the sun shone and a soft blush played on her cheeks.

Robin sensed her distress and sat up beside her. "Hey, it's okay. Everyone who watches the clouds eventually sees themselves in a wedding dress."

Raven didn't respond.

'_Wow, Robin. Weak. Try again._' Robin started over. "I mean, think about it.. Half of Silver Stone doesn't even know who you really are yet, or what to expect from our arrival, so its not like there's a rush to live up to anything."

Raven sighed. Robin was right. _'It's not like I'm being forced to marry him...'_ But she was. Raven looked at him miserably. He wasn't _half_ bad, he could be a clown's ass sometimes, but his intentions were good. She just wasn't ready to accept so many people. The palace life was in itself a major stretch. Talking to someone besides her great-god parents and Jinx was a major stretch.

"I'm going to bed."

"Already?" Robin was confused.

"It's late. Tomorrow I have lessons." Raven quickly thought up an excuse.

"Oh.." Robin said. _'Princess Lessons'_ he thought, and watched Raven get up and turn to leave.

Driven by some unknown force, Robin got up and felt a strong urge to just take her hand and pull her close to him. Some force willed him to pull the princess into his arms, so their hearts could beat closely together, so his fingers could intertwine in hers. Wisely, he turned his head and resisted, also hiding the wildfire burning his face. Every step she took away from him, the feeling kicked him in the pit of his stomach for not making the move, until finally it went away.

As Raven neared the stairwell door way, she glanced back at Robin. Something was definitely meant to happen, she could feel it in him. He meant to do something, but instead just stood gazing near the edge of the roof, his black hair flapping gently in the wind. Returning to the stairwell, Raven thought, _'I wonder what it was...'_

_- x - x - x -_

Finally the moon had taken the sun's place and stars began to come out of hiding. Beast Boy was trying to teach Starfire the ways of Stank Ball, while trying to convince Allikat to help explain. He would have called upon Cyborg for help, but Cyborg was on a roll fixing the Monster truck they crashed the same day the Princess arrived in town. Speedy of course insisted on finishing his 'tour' of the palace, free of charge. And since Robin seemed to be in some sort of funk, he stayed clear of everyone, just polishing some new gadgets that Wayne had sent him as an "I'm Sorry for Not Telling You Who Your Future Wife Is But Not Really" gift. Raven drifted the base floor of the palace with Perrie, listening to her favorite maid talk of how the palace used to be when Queen Rochelle didn't have the spirit of such wily young adults to made the palace come alive.

Fed up with himself, Robin sighed and put down the birdrangs. He closed up the box and slid it under the bed. Sitting back on the bed, he thought back to the roof. He thought of the clouds, of Raven's smiles that she tried to hide, of her blushing. He thought of how her hand might have felt in his hand, her head tucked under his chin if he held her. It was a reoccuring cycle since he let Raven go. And where was it coming from? He was sure he honestly couldn't stand her most of the time. She was always getting under his skin, making him self-conscious when no one else ever succeeded in that before. Every time he tried to eat she would use her magic and slap him in the face with his food, and too many times would she trip him, making him look a fool of himself. In fact, many times he spoke to Queen Rochelle, he would notice his shoes fading from black back to normal only after he tripped and spilled her coffee, or somehow face-planted into her breasts. Princess Raven was a royal pain, yet that didn't end the cycle of thoughts that made him want to be near her. Sliding his hand over his face, Robin decided it was probably best to get a second opinion, and what better person was there than his best friend.

"Hey Cyborg?" Robin ran a hand through his black hair and let it dangle across his eyes. Sighing, he turned and faced his best friend.

"Yeah man?" Cyborg slammed down the hood of the monster truck in the garage, pleased to see it was finally fixed. He jumped down to the cement and made an echo in the garage. He glanced to his main man and Prince, leaning in PJs on the 10 foot wheel. "Whats up."

Robin sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I was hangin out with Raven today-"

"Raven? Thought you were kickin it with Star."

Robin sighed again. "No, I was just showing her around. But I hung out with Raven today.. I couldn't help but feel bad because she seemed so... I don't know, I just wanted to hang ou-"

"You WANTED to hang out with Raven?" Cyborg's human eye gave him a wide questioning look.

"Nah, Cy, I mean..." Of course he wanted to hang out with Raven. He felt bad for her but he liked it when Raven let down her walls around him, it was... special. It felt... _'Man, how do I explain this to Cy? I don't even know what the hell I'm trying to say.'_ Robin sighed and tried again. "Raven opened up this afternoon, and it was fun. But when she left, I got this weird feel-"

"Hell yeah she opened up." Cyborg bellowed. "She got out to see some of Silver Stone today."

"-what?"

"Yeah man, after all that with Starfire joining the crew, she felt left out. So she went Downtown."

"-left out? Downtown?" Robin knew Raven enjoyed her solitude but never thought that she would ever feel _left out_. If only he knew, he would have tried to do something special for his princess... Robin cleared his throat. "So she went down town..."

"Yep, and guess who she ran into." Cyborg laughed, waiting to say his punch line.

"Who?"

"Speedy! Can you believe that? Speedy of all people."

Robin's eyes widened then narrowed behind his mask. "Speedy," he said darkly, remembering his classmate from school. Of course Speedy would beat him to Silver Stone, and start mackin on his princess.

"Yeah, and go figure, they actually hit it off!"

"What?" Robin was now standing on both his feet, his hair shoved over his forehead.

"Raven fixed his bow, and you know how he is about that thing. He offered to show her around town and Raven accepted. They came in laughing through the palace gates."

"She was _laughing?_"

Cyborg's wide grin ebbed in suspicion at Robin's sudden take in curiosity. "Yeah... Robin was there somethin you were trying'na tell me?"

"How did you find all this out?"

"Speedy told me, man look, calm down-"

"Where is Speedy?" Robin demanded.

"He's on the roof with the gang-"

"Nope, I'm _right_ here!" Speedy's voice came from the other side of the monster truck. He flipped over it and landed in front of Robin and Cyborg.

"Speedy what are you doing here?" Robin demanded. He was not at all delighted to see his school competition. First beating him to Robin's own island, kicking back in his streets, now in his palace and pursuing his princess!

"I told you. I was tourin the palace." Speedy grinned and checked out the monster truck, giving props to Cyborg.

"I have yet to see your camera and visitor's pass..."

"Haha, Raven's my pass."

Robin fought back the urge to straight up punch Speedy's face and destroy his wanna-be-Robin mask. Where was all this coming from?

"Why are you even here?" Robin glared.

"Cus she looked lost, scary and sexy." Speedy grinned, remembering how exotic Raven looked J-walking near the Pizza Joint.

"That's my future wife you're talking about." Robin growled.

Cyborg's eyes were wide on Robin. He wouldn't say anything. It was his first time hearing Robin show any sort of possessiveness over Raven.

"Man, you don' even like her." Speedy rebuffed.

Robin skipped a beat. "Why would you say that?"

"Cus, she went on for like an hour and half, saying how stupid you look, how rude you were, sleeping in her bed and contaminating her tea and calling her creepy—when really she's just fine as fucking hell—"

Cyborg coughed as Robin's inner sparks flickered and flared.

"—you guys argue all the time, you're sick of each other. She's sick of you. She can't stand you, and you obviously prefer Starfire—"

"That's enough," Robin's voice lowered. If this was true, screw whatever the hell he felt on the roof.

"If nobody"—and by nobody Speedy meant Robin—"wants to show her a good time, then I'll be more than happy to." Speedy couldn't resist the challenge.

Robin broke his glare with Speedy and looked to Cyborg, who was staring wide-eyed, eyebrows risen at the both of them, and back to Speedy. "Tuh," he spat. "Do whatever the hell you want, I could care less what goes on with her."

Cyborg _beeegged_ to differ remembering what Robin started to say previously. Sighing, he let it go. "Weeeell, _I'M_ going to bed, I'll see y'all later." he said, waving and heading for the elevator.

Speedy held his glare with Robin, stopping his own fidgeting foot. He stretched and turned away, sighing, "Yeah... same..."

Robin walked in front of Speedy before he could leave. "You're **_not_**. Staying in _my_ palace."

"Dude, please. I got my own apartment above the shop. Besides, customer service here sucks, I can't even get a pepperoni pizza or even a mint."

"Not without my permission."

Speedy stared back at Robin who stared back at him with his arms crossed in a dominant stance.

"Friend Robin! I cannot find you or the feathered _thong!"_ Starfire's distressed voice rang through the palace on the PA system. Beast Boy and Allikat's laughter could be heard and then the scowling of Lee's tired voice.

"Looks like your _other_ damsel's in distress," Speedy smirked.

Robin glared at Speedy once more in warning before running for the elevator.

- x -

Raven laid out on her side of the bed, her hair wet from a lavender-enhanced shower. Laying on her back, she thought about the day. Trick Starfire came, even though she knows how to make truly celestial tea. Everyone loves her, much to Raven's dismay. She explored downtown and met Speedy, who somehow brings some sort of light and laughter to her life, much like the way Beast Boy does. And for some reason, Robin went out of his way to come talk to her. That gesture would have been canceled out by some future jackassery he would surely commit, but there was something more he meant to do. And for whatever reason, he held back. As much as she hates his guts, Raven knew Robin would never hold back on her: turning her cd player all the way up when she wasn't looking, waltzing her to her doom at a ball, letting her know how badly she sucked at volleyball and hand-to-hand combat, taking guys out that threatened her at a club. What was he holding back, and why? Listening to Perrie talk about the palace wasn't enough to drone that question out of her mind. She would find out though. It was only a matter of minutes that he would walk through those massive bedroom doors and crash on the other side of the body pillow, on his side of the massive bed.

Robin opened one of the doors, still yelling down the hallway to Beast Boy, Allikat and Starfire. "I'm not wearing a stupid feathered thong!" When he came in, he closed the door and looked at the bed to his right, and saw Raven staring at him with a risen eyebrow. "What are you looking at," he mumbled, heading straight for their bathroom to his left.

"I don't know, I was looking forward to seeing you in a feathered thong," she called, a smile threatening to spread across her mostly expressionless face.

"SHUH, UH!" she heard him shout from the bathroom, toothpaste foamed up in his mouth, she guessed.

Grinning, Raven levitated over to the bathroom door that was risen three steps from the rest of their bedroom. "Did you're Tameran girlfriend request a show? Or did you dance for Cyborg and Speedy instead?"

Robin dropped his foamy toothbrush on the counter and pushed Raven against the bathroom wall. "SHUH UH! Yu Doh No Eh-nee-ing! Yu goh inu da schreehs b'cush yu cahnt be nishe to Shcarfire lie da resh uf ush, an yu brin daht chrash Schpeedee in here, in mye hoam! In mye PALASH! Yu ga shum NERVE!"

Raven narrowed her eyes, wiped a piece of toothpaste foam off her cheek, and pushed Robin in his chest, kicking him back into the counter. "First off, this isn't just your home and palace, you shitbrick, it's MINE TOO." Raven picked up his toothbrush and hers with her magic, smacking him in the head with them both like drumsticks. "Second, Speedy is now my friend so get frikkin used to it, you selfish son of a bitch!" Robin turned on the sink and spat his toothpaste in so he could recover, but Raven was behind him, forcing his head into the filling basin. "Third, Starfire doesn't deserve for me to be nice to her, naturally there can only be ONE Princess, and that's _me!_" Raven soared over a warm towel from the heated towel rack and wrapped it around Robin's head with her magic. Using her hands she pulled him to a good-enough stand. "And lastly," Raven made a fist and started punching Robin in his stomach. "Don't you EVER! PUT YOUR! HANDS ON me like That AGAIN!"

Robin ripped off the towel and quickly wrapped it around Raven's face. It wasn't hard because he was a good eight to nine inches taller than her. As soon as he saw her eyes starting to glow white under the towel, he crouched and swept her off her feet by the back of her knees. Anticipating her to crash down, Robin swung his right foot low but it got caught in the grips of both her gray hands. As the towel fell of Raven's head, she jumped with his foot into the air and used her strength to push him forcefully through the air to the glass shower door. Robin braced himself and rolled out onto his back. When Raven tried to charge him from the air, he kicked both his feet up below her chest and used her own force to send her crashing through the shower glass. Raven rolled on the still-wet tile up into a disoriented stand. Robin waited for her to calm down or give up, but her eyes flickered white as she prepared to charge him again. Before she had time to connect her kick, Robin dashed to her and grabbed her foot, swinging her around and to the floor. Disoriented, Raven sent her energy over some extended metal—she didn't know what it was, she just knew it was available—and yanked the shower knob out the wall and into her hands. The shower head exploded with luke-warm water, showering them both and the shattered glass and broken tile. Robin stared through his wet hair at the dripping hunk of metal that was the shower knob, and back to Raven, her glare fixated on his. "What are you gonna do with that, Princess?"

"Oh I'll use it," Raven said, lifting the metal up higher through the heavy showering. The water was soaking them both, as they caught their breath in tense stances. "I'll drive this thing straight through your ass."

"But then you'll never get to see me in a feathered thong," he smirked, stepping closer but stopped when the metal turned black again.

"Unless you want to be impaled, you'll answer one question. That's all I had before you fucking attacked me." Raven stared at Robin, wishing that she could read his eyes that were hidden behind that terrible mask.

Robin stared at Raven, her eyes had cleared to her violet ones, they were tense through her now messy, wet hair. "What question..." he backed a step away so Raven could stand.

Wobbling back to her feet, knob still risen in her hand, Raven asked, "What were you holding back from, on the roof."

The pit of Robin's stomach fell. How the hell could she have known what he felt?

Noticing Robin's change in stance, Raven slowly brought the knob down. "I know you were holding something back. Just tell me what it is and I'll let you go."

Robin scoffed, walking closer to Raven until he stood inches from her, her back against the cold tiled wall. "Don't you know by know that you can't beat me in combat?" His hand rested beside her up on the wall, barely blocking them from the jutting shower.

Raven's breath caught in her chest. "I can if I don't care about destroying the palace, but this is my home now."

Robin stared into Raven's eyes. This was _their_ home now. He could tell her, he could tell her what it was that was bothering him for hours, what he almost revealed to Cyborg and eavesdropping Speedy. _'Speedy...'_ Robin refrained from glaring at the thought.

Raven could see there was something going on with him. Her large eyes pleaded "tell me", and Robin just stood there staring at them.

Robin closed his eyes, and breathed in. "You're better off forgetting it."

Raven's brows pulled together. "What?"

"Forget it. There's only one person I'd tell anything to, and it's not you." Robin pushed off the wall and away from Raven, stepping out of the mess that was their shower.

Raven floated over to Robin, turning him around to face her. "You expect me to just accept that?" she said, disbelief mixed in her searching, narrowed eyes.

Robin bent down to her level. "Yeah, I do."

Raven's eyes flickered white like a flash of lightening, and she stormed past Robin to resist from smacking him in the face. She landed on the bed and began reinforcing the pillow wall that she put between the two sides of the bed. What does he mean she's "_not the one_". She's the damn destined _Princess!_ Of all people, how could he not trust _her_, his _betrothed?_ He was her Prince! _Her_ Prince! _Not_ any one else's. But surely he could tell _Star_fire anything. Somehow, she'll get even. Somehow, she'll make Starfire run _back _to Tamaran for safety. Somehow, she'll get good enough to beat the shit out of Robin without tearing up her home. Somehow, she'll make Robin want her—

"See you destroy the bathroom and you destroy the bed," Robin called from the steps to the bathroom.

Raven looked at the pillow in her hand. It wasn't a pillow though, it was part of the mattress. Roaring, she stuffed the piece of mattress back into its hole and disappeared through the bed and out the room.

Robin let out a huge sigh. Her question really caught him off guard. But why should it matter what he felt on the roof, she hated him anyways, and now he definitely couldn't stand her. That feeling from the roof tentatively pulsed in his stomach again, scorning him from not just telling her how he felt.

Robin looked back at the bathroom that was starting to flood. The clock on his nightstand read 3:14 AM. He looked back at the bathroom, shower still squirting water in there, shrugged, and crawled into his side of the bed. One of the pillows Raven tossed smelled faintly of the lavender that was trapped on her wet hair. He pushed it away and tried to concentrate on the good times he had with his friends, of driving the monster truck around town, of life here at the palace versus life at the Wayne Manor... As he drifted off to sleep, he grabbed the pillow and held it close to his chest. What was he going to with this Princess?

* * *

**Next Chapter we discover some telling things about our characters, and then the REAL evil begins!  
I'm soo excited to write and get things out! I want to drop hints, but I don't want to spoil anything for you guys :)  
Are you still with me? Please leave a review!**

**~IllyMjay**


	9. Games

Welcome back everyone! Since this is an old fic, I updated all the chapters (8/11/2012). I strongly recommend rereading them so you know what's going on! So enjoy! Ah yes, this chapter is dedicated to **Smiles-X-Giggles**, for inspiring me to do more to develop Raven and Starfire's relationship, and also for beta reading this chapter. Thus the title of this chapter is "Games" :) **Please read & review!**

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, nor Converses, just this story and my own, dear characters.

* * *

**Chapter 9 : Games  
Passion in the Palace**

* * *

"_This_," Lee roared, hovering his hand frantically over the water damaged scene that was the master bed and bathroom. "Is _completely, UNACCEPTABLE!_" Workers droned in and out of the massive double doors that seemed themselves to be drooping in shame, which the Prince and Princess obvious lacked as they glared at each other while Lee freaked out. "This is the _master bedroom! _For the betrothed heirs of Silver Stone Island—can't you see what you've done!? The greenhouse, the theater room, the ballroom, the front terrace, but Heaven's sake, your _own room?!_ You think you can just rip showers out of the wall whenever you feel like disagreeing?! Queen Rochelle will _not_ be happy, this isn't just your ungrateful necks on the line here but _mine_ as well!"

Robin glared at Raven standing opposite of him in the doorway. She connected his glare with her own, the daggers she shot screeched, _"This is your fault. You stayed here all night and let the water get this bad and now _I _have to hear it from this diva because of _your _negligence."_

Robin stared back incredulously, his chest rising at the wrongful accusation. His glare said to her, _"Seriously? You think this is all my fault? Who's the one who decided to rip the showerhead off to begin with?"_

"...And don't even get me started on these handmade Iranian carpets!"

_"Look, jackwad. None of this would have happened if you weren't such a jerk last night."_

_"Oh, I'm the jerk now?"_

_"You've always been the jerk."_

_"And all the things you said to Speedy weren't of jerk language?"_

_"DON'T you bring Speedy into this, this is about your stupid negligence!"_

_"IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO YOU FREAK."_

Lee slowed down his ranting as he noticed Robin and Raven pretty much in each other's faces, having some sort of unspoken heated debate. "Are you guys even paying attention?"

"Every word." They both muttered, never severing the angry connection they were forging.

Lee sighed and rubbed his temples, tucking his cell phone under his arm. "Look, unless you both want to be beheaded, I suggest you get out before the Queen finds out," Lee glanced at his sparkling watch. "Which is a miracle she hasn't found out all ready. Collect your little gang of teenagers and get out, _please._"

Robin and Raven looked side long at Lee, Rochelle must really be pissed if Lee of all people was going the extra mile to save their asses.

"And where do you suggest we go." Raven demanded.

"I don't know, food, whatever, it's not my concern just get out and don't get into anything _stupid_." Lee turned his attention to the cleaning cart that stood alone a little ways off. "Josie, you and, er, Beast Boy take these two with you somewhere."

Allikat and a green rat crept out from behind the cart looking guilty. Obviously they failed at eavesdropping. Beast Boy warped back to his human form and pushed Allikat on in front to the bedroom doors, weaving between the frantic workers. As they both caught sight of the dangerous looks of suspicion Robin and Raven gave them, they both plastered cheesing faces on.

"Oh don't worry about it Lee, we know the perfect place!" Beast Boy chimed.

"Right, and who am I to turn down getting dismissed so early in the day!" Allikat grabbed Robin's arm and pulled him down the stairs as Beast Boy did the same to Raven.

"Do I dare ask what 'the perfect place' is?" Raven asked without excitement.

"Just a place, called my former job." Allikat said over her shoulder.

"And why are we going to your former job?" Robin asked.

"Because its tasty!" Beast Boy shouted as they neared the front door. The doorman looked at him startled, and gestured if he should open the door. "Wait right here, I'll go get Starfire."

"And I'll go get Cy."

And with that, Beast Boy and Allikat dashed off in different directions, leaving Robin and Raven standing alone in the palace foyer with the doorman standing by dutifully.

Robin turned to Raven, who slid the hood of her thin dark-gray hoodie over her head and stood cross-armed, opposite of him. "Raven, for the sake of our friendships here, can you at least attempt to –"

"_Shut up,_ Robin. I'll be a _good girl_, if you be a _good boy_."

"Fine then." Robin said, agitated. When Beast Boy pulled Starfire into the foyer, Robin gave Raven a look before going to Starfire and asking her how her rest was.

Raven rolled her eyes.

Cyborg came into the foyer then, holding Allikat up on his massive robotic shoulder. "So Allikat told me where we're goin'. And I have one suggestion," he said with booming pride. He walked over to Raven, and to her surprise, plucked her up and propped her so both girls were seated on either of his shoulders. "We take the _Monster_."

- x -

The monster truck ride to the Pizza Joint was interesting enough. As it turned out, it was indeed the same convertible monster truck Raven saw when she was on her way to the palace for the first time. And just as she saw them through the limousine window that day, Cyborg was yelling "_BOOO YAAAHH!_" and Robin was yelling "_WOO HOOO!_" as Cyborg raced the wheeled monster down the long palace drive. Beast Boy, sitting beside AlliKat with Robin and Starfire in the backseat, had morphed into a Harlequin Great Dane with his massive tongue flapping in the wind. Allikat was sitting on the headrest, rocking out to the rock remix of a popular rap song that blasted from the monster truck's surround sound. Starfire was halfway in the front, halfway in the back squealing in delight next to Raven's ear. Raven fought the urge to form a solid black wall to keep Starfire in the back, but stopped when Cyborg happily slapped Raven on the back. He gave a remote to Raven, and told her to choose her favorite station to blast. Before she could even take it, Starfire squealed and grabbed the remote, fascinated, and began flipping through stations, making Allikat stop mid-head pound. Starfire paused on a Classical station, delighted with the old-man opera singing. When Robin and human form Beast Boy tried to grab the remote from her hand to change the station, she held her tall, slim but muscular arm high in the air above their reach, and the group listened to Opera music all the way downtown.

- x -

At the Pizza Joint, Speedy greeted the group outside and welcomed them in. They all sat down at a large round table near the Arcade, and talked about their favorite pizza and favorite kind of games. Beast Boy, unable to bare most everyone talking about Meat Lover's pizza, went with Allikat to the front of the restaurant where the cash register and wall menu were. Allikat comfortably hit the familiar bell on the counter while Beast Boy looked over the vegetarian menu.

"Hey girl, what on Earth brings you back to the Joint?" behind the counter, a curvaceous girl with glowing chocolate skin and a translucent pair of wings skated over to Allikat.

"The gang wants pizza, and what better place to go than to the Joint? Plus, I'm not gonna pass up a chance to see my practical sister."

The girl put a hand on her hip, her wings coaxing a better response in slow questioning flaps. "You mean you need help getting Marmalade off your flustered nerves."

Allikat blushed as the girl pointed a tomato sauce covered spoon in Speedy's direction. "Bumblebee I can't believe you're pushing that on me, when I _just_ got here. Come on now."

"You know he sulked around for a week when you left?"

_'Just a week?'_ Allikat thought, rather disappointed.

"And look at him now, since you found him again he's been smiling all over the place. He finally talks about stuff that doesn't have to do with just meaningless sex."

Both girls looked on at Speedy. He was drinking yet another Sobe, explaining the rules of a card game called Egyptian Rat Screw to Robin, Raven, Cyborg and Starfire. Cyborg was engrossed in the rules, Starfire looked confused and determined. Robin pretended to pay attention, sneaking glances at Raven, who stared menacingly at Starfire. "_You can only slam when there's a sandwich, double, or ten-on-jack. Slam the deck wrong and you have to burn three cards from the top of your deck."_ Speedy expertly shifted the deck, creating arches of cards on the table, scooping them up, and creating arches in the air. "_Got that Princess?_" Starfire responded with a question, but it was clear Speedy meant to address Raven.

Allikat rested her eyes on Raven. Speedy was trying to get her attention but she seemed focused on avoiding contact with Robin, who had his arm around Starfire's chair and was clarifying the rules for her. Looking back to Speedy and back again to Raven, Allikat said, "And you honestly think he's _insouciant_ because of me."

"Sure," Bumblebee said.

_'I don't think you're so right on that,'_ Allikat thought.

Bumblebee straightened up and addressed Beast Boy, who was drooling at the veggie pizza on the menu. "Mr. Green now I've seen you here a couple times before with the Prince."

Beast Boy snapped out of his reverie and turned to Bumblebee. "Uh, yeah," he smiled. "I'm Beast Boy."

"Mhm." Bee nodded and pointed with her spoon to the Tamaranian slamming her hand incorrectly on the deck of cards. "And who's the orange giant?"

"That's Starfire," Allikat said. "She's an old friend of the gang. She's staying at the palace since her planet's under attack. She's the Princess of Tamaran."

Bee acknowledged the flat glare Raven didn't seem to know she was giving Starfire. "A friend of the _whole_ gang?"

"Well, not quite Raven."

"Raven _hates_ Starfire for some reason," Beast Boy interjected.

"Maybe she's just jealous," Bee offered, as Raven got up from the table and left when Stafire squeezed Robin's hand in glee.

"WHAT?!" Beast Boy and Allikat blurted.

"Over Robin?"

"They freaking hate each other!" Allikat and Beast Boy started imitating what it'd be like if Robin and Raven where to show affection to each other. They couldn't take how bizarre they thought it would be, and busted out laughing.

Cyborg glanced up from the game at the sound of exploding laughter.

Bumblebee sighed and shrugged her shoulders. Glancing back at the table, her eyes connected with Cyborg's.

"And who," Bee's eyebrow rose and a sly, predatory smile formed on her full, crimson lips. "Might _that_ hunk of android be?"

Allikat cleared her eyes from laughter "That— is Cyborg. And he's not an android, he's human."

"Yeah," Beast Boy said. "He's just got computer-machine parts."

Bumblebee smiled more dangerously, still holding her gaze with Cyborg. _"M."_ she said in satisfaction. "I like him already."

Allikat grinned to Beast Boy. "Uh oh. Looks like Bee's been activated. She always liked her machine-toys, you know what I mean?"

Beast Boy spun around and gagged, fire burning on his cheeks.

"Hey, Bumblebee!" An incredibly short Mexican guy jumped up on the counter in front of Bumblebee, waving his red-gloved hands in front of her face. "Boss says to get back to work!"

Bumblebee blinked and gave an annoyed look to the little guy. "Más—"

Another short guy jumped onto the counter, a duplicate of the first. He was just as hyper and energized as the first. "Si, hermana, you know we're extra short on staff!"

"Damn, Menos I know!" Bee raised her voice and pushed away from the counter. "You Pizza Joint Nazi's don't eva let me forget." She started heading for the back, her shoulders raised in irritation. Relaxing, she looked back to Cyborg, smiled when they made eye contact, and disappeared into the back kitchen.

"What did she say to me?" One of the short guys said to the other. "¿Qué ella dijo _a mí?_"

"Aye, Menos let it go! We have customers!" Más turned and smiled at Beast Boy and Allikat.

"Aye! Customers!" Menos turned and smiled. "¿Cómo podemos ayudarle?"

There was a loud yelling in the back, and a manly voiced called for Más and Menos.

"¡Lo siento pero tenemos que ir!"

"¡Si! ¡Lo siento!" And together, they spun off into the kitchen, leaving Beast Boy and Allikat with blank expressions.

"Any idea what they said?"

"Beats me."

- x -

When Raven got up and left the game, Speedy tossed down his stack of cards. "Uh, I don't wanna play anymore, Rob you take over." Allikat slid in, picked up Speedy's cards and continued where he left off.

Speedy walked over to Raven, standing by the large window near the entrance. "Hey Princess, what's the matter?"

"Nothing," Raven said irritably.

"Oh come on. Is it the Starfire?"

Raven cringed. "I just don't _appreciate_ when people whisper to each other like everyone else isn't there. I've had enough of that done to me in high school, and I _don't_ need it on what's supposed to be my own turf."

"Wow, you really just _can't_ stand that girl."

Raven confirmed this with a lazy glare out the window.

Speedy stepped closer to Raven. "OK. You know something is wrong when _I_ have to be your voice of reason," he started. Both jumped when Beast Boy slammed his fist on the table, morphing from an unseen fly to a now winning Gorilla, and caused everyone to shout in surprise.

_"Yo Green Man!"_ Bee shouted halfway between the kitchen doors. "_Save your changing for OUTSIDE the joint!"_

"As I was saying," Speedy said, as if this sort of thing happened all the time in the Pizza Joint. "You can't avoid her—she's here for a while and everyone seems more than willing to accommodate her."

"_Accommodate her?_" Raven hissed, causing Robin to very carefully look their way. "Since when do her needs come before those of the country's own Princess's?"

"Ahh, and there it is." Speedy expertly projected his voice toward Robin. "The _Princess_ finally admits that she _has needs_ that aren't _being met_. Hey Más and Menos! Let's get the Princess of Silver Stone an apple cinnamon pizza for her new found sense of self!"

"¡Sí Señor! Coming right up!"

"I don't have any needs that I can't take care of myself."

"Now you're starting to sound like Bumblebee over there. All I'm saying is that it might turn out to be more satisfying to let her in than push her away."

"Why would I let someone in that I don't trust."

"Well, do you trust Cyborg and Beast Boy and Robin and Allikat?"

"I..."

"You trust that they all want what's best for you, right?"

"I suppose, that is if they want what's best for their own future."

"Come on, Raven. If you can trust them, trust that their friendship with Starfire is made with good will and consideration. Besides, you'll only be hurting what you have with everyone else."

Unwillingly, Raven 's mind traveled back to her fight with Robin, after their somewhat bonding experience under the clouds. _"...You can't be nice to Starfire like the rest of us... ...Forget it. There's only one person I'd tell anything to, and it's not you."_ Raven groaned and slid her eyes nearly closed. It was so frustrating and impossible that any of this bothered her, that she cared at all. If it bothered her so much to lose what she had with someone she _didn't_ like over Starfire, what would it be like if she drifted apart from Beast Boy, from Cyborg? Even Speedy and Allikat seemed to be warming up awfully quick to the orange alien.

"Are you falling for Starfire too?" Raven asked accusingly.

"I think she's pretty hot-"

"SPEEDY."

"Okay, okay. I don't think she's so bad." He finally admitted. Raven sighed. "Small steps, Raven. Just as she's trying to make with you."

"With _me_." Raven repeated, unconvinced. At that moment, Starfire was raising Robin's hand in victory.

"_Yeees_, with _you_. I know you didn't forget about that tea she made for you."

Raven's mouth salivated instantly. Annoyed, she rubbed the corner of her mouth with her hoodie on the back of her knuckles. "Is that dessert pizza ready yet," she said, changing the subject. On cue, Más and Menos spun up in a flash, producing a sizzling, 42 inch Apple and Cinnamon Crunch dessert pizza.

"Extra big for our extra beautiful princess!" Más said, balancing on top of Menos's shoulders.

Raven stared at the huge golden pizza in disbelief. "There's no way I can eat this whole thing."

"Bueno, Princesa, you'd better try." Menos said, receiving a stomp on the shoulder from Más.

"You want me to carry that for you?" Allikat approached Raven, giving Speedy the Why-didn't-you-ask-her-that-already look. He seemed uncharacteristically submerged in very deep thought.

"Uh, no, it's okay." Raven said, but Allikat already slipped the over-sized pan of pizza onto the top of her head and balanced it with rather graceful, light fingertips.

"Come on, Rae, I didn't leave this job because I couldn't stand working here."

"Why _did_ you leave?" Raven asked curiously.

From under the large pan, Allikat's eyes shifted to Speedy, and back to Raven. She sighed.

"Oh," Raven understood, and Allikat was thankful that she truly did.

"Where do you want this?"

"I guess I can share it with the group," Raven said, giving in to the Small Steps for Friendship Program. As she and Allikat walked back to the table of loud teens, she reassured herself that this honest attempt to befriend Starfire was for the sake of what she had, and could have, with everyone else. _'Small Steps to Friendship'_, she thought to herself. If Jinx were here, she'd be dying on the floor laughing.

"Look what Princess Raven brought to share_,_" Allikat sang to the group as she slid the delicious, sweet pizza into the center of the round table.

All but Robin voiced their surprise and appreciation to Raven, as if she was sharing the best birthday cake that was made with ingredients nobody could find anywhere.

Starfire, consumed by the kind gesture, snatched Raven's small body and propped her between herself and Cyborg. "Sit Princess Raven, and let us feast as we do on my home planet!" Starfire started to grab eight slices all together with her mouth gaping wide to bite.

"How about-" Raven slapped her hand to shut Starfire's mouth and inwardly shuddered at the contact. "-we eat like _normal_ Earthlings, and take one or two slices at a time."

"Dude!" Best Boy exclaimed. "Since when is anything '_normal'_ about this group!"

"He has a point," Cyborg said.

"No," Starfire straightened herself and mimicked Raven's posture. "Let us do as Princess Raven says, and eat in the traditional Earthling way. Please, Princess Raven, will you teach me the way of Silver Stone dining?"

Raven sighed heavily. _'Small Steps... Small Steps.'_

Robin, who had been irritated that Speedy was still here at all, glanced his way. What was his deal, talking to Raven in _private_ as if they all weren't here together. And now that Raven was among everyone again, she seemed especially keen on ignoring him. Was it honestly that hard for Raven to open up to him again? Robin was the one who saved her-twice-at the night club. Robin was the one who had to sleep in the same bed with her most nights. Robin was the person she was engaged to, so why did she open up to Speedy and not him? And Speedy was standing way over there, pretending to be all thoughtful. Enough was enough, he thought. Robin got up and walked over to him.

"What are you getting at Speedy. What do you want with Raven."

Startled, Speedy dropped his hand from his chin. "What do _I_ want? This isn't about me _or_ you," Speedy said, pulling Robin's shoulder to the window so they could talk more privately. "We need to give Raven a push."

"What are you talking about."

"Raven needs to warm up to the group, including you, Wonder Boy, but especially to that pretty alien over there. So I have a plan."

"What are you scheming."

"What? Listen to you, you sound just like her."

"What do you know what she's like."

"Richard. Focus."

Robin narrowed his eyes. "Alright, I'm listening."

"Left to their own devices, those princesses and that beloved palace of yours would not even see the beginning to their successful friendship. So, as I said, we need to give them a little push. Sure, the rest of the gang can help, but it's gotta be you and me. Since you know Starfire _oooh so well,_" Speedy made an obscene gesture with his hands at Robin. "You'll be more of her guiding force. And naturally, since Raven and I, ya know, _bow chika bow wow chika bow wow_, I'll be guiding her sweet, sexy—"

"OK Speedy stop, before I punch you in your _fucking_ face."

"Alright, alright. So, with us as their gentle guides and conflict buffers, we encourage them through _games_."

"...Games?"

"Well, more like opportunities to bond."

Robin looked back to the table. Raven—dark, quiet, and rather motionless—hopelessly lowered her face into her hand. Meanwhile bright, animate Starfire was grabbing the left over crusts from Raven's plate and every sauce and substance on the table, cheesing and giggling as she inhaled them all.

"How do you know Raven will want to go through with this."

"It will take time, Robin," Speedy said exhaustedly, reminding Robin of that mysterious phone call he got the night he met Raven. "But, with supportive friends it should go by much smoother."

Robin took a deep breath and looked at the princesses again. He _did_ want to protect them, from each other. He wanted Raven just to be nice to Starfire, them being buddy-buddy wasn't exactly what he had in mind. That would make things a bit awkward, for reasons he couldn't really pinpoint. It made sense for him to guide Starfire, after all he'd always wanted to show her life on Earth. But would Raven and Speedy become inseparable with him as her guide? At this rate, they were already becoming inseparable. Yes, Robin would definitely prefer Raven to spend her time becoming friends with Starfire than getting closer and closer with his insufferable, long-time competition.

"I'm not gonna have to worry about you doing anything to either of them, am I?"

"Oh Robin," Speedy said, full of pity. "It's not me you should be worried about."

Robin gave Speedy a bewildered look.

"So, do we have a deal?" Speedy held out his hand.

Robin stared critically at Speedy's outstretched hand. Before he could take it, Speedy pulled his hand back.

"I'm probably gonna need residence at the palace, to make sure everything goes according to plan."

"No way," Robin started to turn away.

"Would you rather her come running back to me, _alone_, downtown again every time you do something to piss her off?"

"Fine," Robin said, gripping Speedy's hand hard. "One room. In the west wing. Where I can keep an eye on you."

"Heelloooo Palace life!" Speedy cheered. "It's great doin' business with ya, buddy."

"I'm not your buddy," Robin growled as Speedy threw a comradely arm over his shoulder.

"Oh, but you will be," Speedy generated yet another bottle of Sobe.

The two masked teens headed back to the group at the table.

"And what about the games?" Robin whispered.

"I have the _perfect_ idea."

"Friend Robin and new Acquaintance Speedy!" Starfire greeted, rising from her seat. "Please join us in the 'whopping down' of the pizza!"

Raven looked up from her semi-permanent facepalm with a pale look that said, _"Dear Mother of Azarath, please channel me strength."_

Robin and Speedy sat down in sync, both picking up a slice of pizza and taking a bite like they were mirror images.

"So gang," Speedy started. "Have any of you been to a haunted house?"

- x - x - x -

As they all cleaned up and got ready to leave the Pizza Joint, each one of them shared their excitement about going to a haunted house. Cyborg, Beast Boy and Speedy spoke about past experiences and popular stories. Raven quietly voiced how the idea seemed "cool". Allikat asked Bumblebee if she'd like to come along, but due to short staff, Bee regretfully declined. Not without putting her number in Cyborg's system, though. Robin and Raven agreed that going to the palace before the haunted house was a bad idea, considering that Queen Rochelle was most likely back and would punish everyone for the destruction of their bed and bathroom. Eventually the chattering group made it to the parking lot where they headed back for the monster truck.

Robin waited for the group to go on ahead before he dropped back beside Raven. "Raven, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"No."

Starfire paused as everyone else carried on. "Friend Robin, are you and Princess Raven not joining us in the vehicle of monsters?"

"Yeah, just a minute Star. You guys go ahead we'll meet you at the truck in a few minutes."

Starfire nodded and flew after Cyborg, Speedy and Beast Boy.

"What do you _want_ Robin, I'm tired of dealing with you."

"Look Raven, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a jerk last night. I was in a... not so good mood. And I'm _really_ sorry for crashing you through the glass in the shower."

Raven raised an eyebrow.

"You just seemed so tough even though you're so _small_—"

"I'm not afraid to fight you, Robin."

That shocked Robin. He didn't expect her to say something like that. "Well... you kinda suck at fighting. I mean you're better than a lot of people but—"

"Is this what you came to tell me?"

"No, not at all. I just..." Robin was tongue tied, again. After all the fighting they'd been through, why did he need Raven to forgive him? Was a clean slate all that important? It seemed the only way to get her to open up to him again—a feeling that he was becoming strangely addicted to, even though he could never admit that. "I just think..." Raven was looking at him, expectantly, those big amethyst eyes once again waiting for him to say what he really should say. "I just think... you should be careful," he said finally.

"Careful." she repeated.

"Yeah. I know you guys've gotten to know each other somewhat, but I've known Speedy for a long time, and I just think—"

"Are you seriously on Speedy again? What _is_ it with you and him?"

"Nothing, I just don't trust—"

"Oh _you_ don't trust Speedy. It's okay for Robin to not trust Speedy but _Heaven forbid_ I don't trust your little Tamaran."

"That's different, ok?"

"How is it different, Robin."

"Well for starters, Starfire is not some whore that wants to _fuck_ everything in sight—"

Raven stared at him bewilderedly. "Speedy is not like that."

"Yes he is."

"No he's not."

"Yes he is!"

"No, Robin, he's not!"

"He was a horn dog in high school; he tried to screw every girl in his grade before he transferred and now—"

_"Every girl?"_

Raven and Robin both looked at Allikat, who was standing in disbelief between them and the Pizza Joint entrance.

"Did he really try to sleep with every girl?" She asked again, with vacant eyes.

When Robin nor Raven—still surprised that she had been there listening—didn't respond immediately, she shook her head and sped off to the monster truck. She climbed into the passenger seat and pulled out her mp3 player from the dashboard, and plugged the headphones into her ears.

Cyborg and the group looked up from the pavement and decided they should all get in too. When they noticed that Robin and Raven were still far away, Speedy yelled, "Hurry up you two! Or are you too chicken to step on to Heather's Drive?"

Raven turned back to Robin. "I've had plenty of time to listen to Speedy talk. And I can say without a doubt that Speedy is _not _actually like that," she said finally. "Besides, what does it matter if I happen to get taken advantage of? It doesn't matter to you."

"_Of course it matters!_" Robin glared seriously at Raven, causing them both to stop short in surprise. She stared at him, seeming confused. Yet again, her eyes presented him the opportunity to simply speak what was really on his mind, but instead, he found himself beating around the bush. "You can't just... _go off_ with anyone, didn't your guardians ever tell you that?"

Raven glared at Robin, annoyed that he was starting to sound like Madam and Mister. "Are we done here?"

"All I wanted to do was apologize, Raven."

"Apology duly noted." Raven was now irritatingly uneasy at feeling her emotions mix at his sudden interest in her well being. How long was it going to last before he cut her off again?

"Why do you keep doing that! Why do you keep pushing me away?" Robin said before he could stop himself, and instantly regretted it.

Something ignited in Raven's eyes, and Robin felt an inexplicable tinge of sadness in the pit of his stomach. She looked him straight on, her face was expressionless, but her _eyes_...

"You, more than anyone else here, remind me that I'm not human. And you seem to do it, _just because you can_."

A powerful wave of shock paralyzed the air in Robin's chest. _Sadness_. _Cold_. Behind his mask, he searched Raven's face, her eyes, for a meaning that he couldn't seem to put together.

"_You_ push _me_ away Robin. I can't read minds very well, and since I'm not Starfire, I'll never know what's inside of yours. There are things about me that I don't want _anyone_ to know. You saw me at a vulnerable time and _walked away_. So I'm sorry if you push me away, and I decide to stay on the safe side and do the same."

Raven stared vacantly at him for a few moments more, as he stared back, speechless. When she realized that some telling words had escaped her mouth, she suddenly shook. She fought to conceal her moment of vulnerability by shooting a vicious, accusing glare at him, but she couldn't help but feel that a part of her had been lost, or_ misplaced_.

Robin, as quick and intelligent as he was, could not think of one thing to say. When he managed to swallow, Raven melted into her shadowy soul-self and materialized in the back seat of the monster truck, looking epically pissed off and misplaced. Though he couldn't begin to understand exactly what she meant about being 'not human' or the things she was dealing with, he did feel _something_. Something he couldn't yet understand, but something his intuition told him to _fight_ for. As everyone hopped, climbed and landed into the car, Robin walked back silently, his mind a labyrinth of questions and confusion.

- x - x - x -

As Cyborg drove the monster truck away from the city and further into the country sides, the group listened to Speedy go on about the failures of people who've tried to make it through the haunted, abandoned house of Heather's Drive.

"They say the true form of Lady Heather appears differently for each person that encounters her ghost," Speedy said mystically. "Her longing to be accepted by society, as well as her undying resentment of being casted away is what causes her to change into a form you secretly desire, or secretly fear."

"How could she know what I fear or desire," Beast Boy said coolly, trying to sound unconvinced and completely unafraid. He sat in the middle of the back seat, sporting a pair of Cyborg's over-sized hi-tech sunglasses without his permission.

"She's a _ghost_, BB," Allikat said from the passenger seat. "They can _feel out_ whatever's in your brain."

"That is, if you believe in ghosts." Cyborg said. "It all just seems like superstition to me."

"Oh you say that now," Speedy continued. "But once you feel the presence of her estate, you won't be able to deny that there are _things_ there, much less be able to speak at all."

"Oh, that sounds _most_ unpleasant!" Starfire cried, squeezing Robin's hand to her left.

"Have you even been there before?" Robin glared at Speedy, irritated that he was such an attention hog.

"Well... not exactly. Bee and I tried to get Alli to come with us but she's just too scared."

"Oh, s'il vous plaît!" Allikat turned around in her seat to yell at Speedy. "You were the one shaking in your bow and arrows trying to shoot every leaf that fluttered in the wind!"

"I was just trying to protect you, Allikat." Speedy gave his warm and charming smile, but she just glared at him and turned back around in her seat. From beside him on the far right of the back seat, Raven gave him the disapproving head shake of failure as she gazed over the hilly countryside.

"This eerie place that we are going, is it dangerous?" Starfire asked. Her eyes were wide as she absorbed every creepy bit of information about Heather's Drive.

"As dangerous as any other old building in Silver Stone," Cyborg said, still unconvinced that Heather's Drive was actually _haunted_, though even he couldn't deny that just driving there was giving him the heebie-jeebies.

Speedy shook his head. "Any building that has the ability to make you say words that aren't yours can't possibly be considered a 'safe house'."

Beast Boy shook his head nervously. "Dude, that can't be right. Someone is just making up all this crap to scare people." The thought of being possessed was making Beast Boy turn a bluish shade of green.

Allikat also shook her head. "We didn't even turn on to the driveway last time, and Bumblebee screamed; said she heard her own voice whispering for her to go play in Heather's basement. There is no record that that house even has a basement."

Starfire squeezed tighter on Robin's hand as she and Beast Boy nervously bit their fingernails. "I don't think that I could bear to hear a voice inside my head that is not my own."

"It's not so bad," Raven said.

Robin gave Raven a look, but she ignored it.

"It's not so bad when you have someone like me nearby," Speedy cheesed, flexing out his muscles.

_'Here we go again,' _Robin sighed loudly.

"Unlike Robin over there, I happen to have a perfect score in archery. When I shoot, I never miss."

"Real handy in dealing with ghosts," Raven said.

"I'm also a great public speaker. I can charm anyone who can hear my voice, dead _or_ alive."

"Which is why you're still single." Allikat said.

"With this kind of unrivaled physical perfection, no one can beat _or_ resist me." Speedy confidently took another swig of his drink.

"And not to mention, you're still a virgin."

Cyborg _slammed_ the breaks to the monster truck as Speedy sprayed out Sobe from his mouth. Everyone turned to gape at Speedy as he stared at Raven in complete horror.

"Well." She said, without any regrets. "I just thought _everyone_ would like to know." She couldn't help the sly smile that slithered across her lips.

Speedy glanced at Allikat, who turned back around in the passenger seat, shaking her head. He didn't miss her satisfied smile or the faint blush on her cheeks. Speedy sat back in between Raven and Beast Boy. "Not cool, Princess." was all he said.

As Cyborg drove on, he and Beast Boy bombarded Speedy with comments about how it couldn't be true, how it _must_ be true. How he did _this_ and how he was like _that_ and how it didn't make any sense, and how it all made perfect sense.

Robin looked away from the group and over the passing countryside. So Speedy _was_ just a flirt who never did anything serious with anyone? That's twice today that he felt like a complete idiot.

Raven looked at Speedy slumping down, deflated in his chair. Perhaps she should throw him a bone, she thought.

"Big deal, I'm a virgin."

The entire group fell into silence, shocked that the mysterious, introverted Raven would share such private information. All of the tension seemed to now be directed toward Robin, who sat on the far left in the back seat.

Cyborg caught his masked eyes in the rear view mirror, and raised his own eyebrows with a look that said, _'You better get on that.'_

Robin jerked his glare over the country side again, an angry wildfire screaming on his face.

"So..." Speedy started, "Are you looking to change that?"

Before Raven or Allikat could yell at Speedy, Robin threw Best Boy's converse shoe right into the side of his head.

"Remember that rule of the GAMES, _Speedy_," Robin growled before settling back next to Starfire.

As Speedy grinned and rubbed his head, everyone gave Robin a confused look, but decided to let it go. As long time competition, those two had their own way of communicating and even had their own way of moving in sync. For all they knew, the rules Robin spoke of were from a game created years ago.

"Is it bad," Starfire began, "to be a virgin?"

"Of course not," Beast Boy spoke. "It shows great virtue!"

"Yeah..." Cyborg said, glancing at the hopelessness that was Beast Boy. "We all know that you're _extremely_ virtuous."

Everyone had to smile to themselves at that. Poor Beast Boy. He was probably going to die a virgin.

"Well... that is unfortunate," Starfire said, looking down at her purple shorts. "Because... I... am _not._"

Cyborg slammed on the breaks and everyone turned in their seat with wide eyes on the innocent alien.

"You're... You're _not_?" Robin managed to blurt.

"What is worse... I... _enjoyed_ it." Starfire shut her eyes, as if to block out seeing everyone's faces. When she opened her eyes, she panicked at the disbelieving shock on Robin's face. She drew both hands to the sides of her face, tears threatening to spill from her huge green eyes. "Well, it was my sister," she tried to defend herself, as quickly as her limited English would let her.

"Oh man, I _gotta_ hear this," Speedy said.

"Many nar'g forgs ago, she pushed me into a dark room with no windows. There were many young men that she liked to do most unvirtuous things with, and she persisted that I... I—"

"That you do what, Starfire?"

"Oh! I cannot say it is far too terrible!"

"It's okay Starfire, no one is going to judge you."

Starfire looked to Raven, who stared back at her with an unreadable expression. "Well... as the boys began to circle around me, my sister handed me some Zorka Nogn. I wanted to be like her _so_ much and the boys all seemed so frightening, so I.. I... I _drank_ the Zorka Nogn."

Everyone stared at her with apprehensive expressions. "Did they..."

"YES!" She cried out, tears bursting from her face. "My world became dizzy and suddenly I was wearing a great gown and headdress and spinning between boy after boy after boy, as they all cheered me and praised me! My sister laughed as bright flowers floated out of her mouth, and the moon rained sweet-smelling fires that blossomed into new born babies and... _oooh_ it was so terrible and thrilling and I did not want it to stop! Had my K'norfka found out about the images I had seen, my place as princess would be stripped and I would never be allowed to be wed!"

Everyone stared speechless at Starfire as she cried and blew glowing, blue snot into her fuzzy handkerchief.

"Tamaran culture," Raven eventually said. "Interesting."

Cyborg continued on the drive as they all reassured Starfire that her forced Zorka trip didn't make her not-a-virgin, and that she was still considered pure and virtuous by Earthling standards. After soaking her handkerchief and tears and snot, Starfire was finally able to resume speaking about her life on Tamaran. Much to everyone's delight, Raven seemed to be genuinely accepting the information Starfire told her about the Tamaran standards of being a princess, and what it was like being raised from birth as one. Though Raven didn't speak much, or even look at her much, she did seem to be making the effort to simply _listen_ to her. Raven even batted Speedy and Beast Boy down when they giggled over Starfire's awkward comments, probably because in some way, Raven could understand where the oddball's thoughts and feelings where coming from.

Three and a half hours went by where the group was simply enjoying listening to the music from Silver Stone's radio stations. As the sun began to set and their proximity to Heather's Drive grew closer, a strange feeling of foreboding seemed to join them in the car. The few passing cars and farms they saw on the way grew scarce about an hour ago, and as they drove on, signs of human life seemed nonexistent in the expanse of their darkening surroundings. The radio station had turned to complete static, and even the static made a dying gurgling sound and went silent as Cyborg cautiously steered the truck on to the final road. Passing deeper into the thick, silent woods, not a single firefly glowed and not a single leaf turned in the wind.

Since no one seemed able to speak and suggest turning around, Cyborg warily pressed on to the haunted, waiting house.

Though Raven enjoyed horror stories and creepy locations, she began to feel an unpleasant, jittery feeling inside her. As the revving noise of the monster truck accompanied them along the road, she could feel a faint pressure in the core of her existence. No, she was not afraid of this place, not even a little excited yet either, but deep down she was becoming weary... of _who_ she was. Everyone else seemed to be paranoid about this approaching house, staying quiet and playing cool as to not give away how creeped out they were. They held on to something—the steering wheel, an iPod, a hand, a bow—reminding themselves that the myths were all untrue, that they came just for shits and giggles.

But what _she_ felt, that unknown pressure, it wasn't this place... it was _her_...

_'Raven are you okay?'_

Was that Robin's voice, in her head? When Raven snapped her head in his direction, she saw Robin and only Robin staring at her with a face full of sick confusion.

Before Robin could open his mouth to speak to her, Cyborg halted the truck and croaked, "We're here."

* * *

Next...  
Chapter 10: _Heather's Drive  
Please leave a review!_


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